The Room
by Rosewood girl 317
Summary: Aria is five months pregnant with her husband Ezra's baby when a strange man snatches her off the street, and holds her hostage in a small room. How will she raise her child in captivity, and will she ever be reunited with Ezra? Inspired by the novel "Room" by Emma Donoghue. Please read and review! (Warning: Rape and Abuse)
1. Prologue

Ezra's POV

"Aria Fitz." I hear a nurse call.

My beautiful wife of two years glances up from her magazine and makes eyes contact with the nurse.

"Doctor. Levi is ready to see you." The woman tells my wife.

Aria lets out a nervous sigh and grasps my hand tightly.

Nearly five months ago Aria and I found out that we were expecting our first child. We'd been trying to make a baby for months, and both of us were beyond thrilled about Aria's impending motherhood.

My wife is now five months pregnant, and we're about to meet with her doctor. Even though Aria's had many check-ups in the past few months, she gets nervous before every appointment. She already loves our child so much, and the though of anything being wrong with him or her sickens my wife.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm sure everything is fine." I say before giving her hand a gentle squeeze.

"I know, I'm just being paranoid." Aria says as she forces a smile.

Aria and I walk into her doctor's office, and I help her onto the examination table.

"Aria, it's so good to see you." Doctor. Levi says with a warm smile.

"It's good to see you too." Aria tells the older woman.

"How have you been feeling?" Doctor. Levi asks my wife.

"Hungry." Aria says with a small laugh.

"That's perfectly normal, especially during this part of your pregnancy. Any cramping or spotting?" The doctor asks seriously.

"No." Aria says as she shakes her head.

"Is Ezra taking good care of you?" Doctor. Levi asks as she gestures towards me.

"Always." Aria says as she squeezes my hand and gives me her sweetest smile.

"Good, now let's start the ultrasound." Doctor. Levi says as she walks over to my wife.

The woman lifts Aria's shirt up, and reveals her small baby bump. Aria started showing at the four-month mark, and I think that her maternal figure is adorable. She disagrees with me sometimes, but I always remind Aria of how beautiful she is.

As soon as Doctor. Levi rubs the cool blue gel over Aria's stomach, she begins to shiver.

"Is that cold sweetheart?" I ask her softly.

"Only for a minute." Aria assures me.

Shortly after, an image of our baby appears on the screen attached to the scanner. I squeeze Aria's hand, and tears begin to form in my eyes when I see the beautiful creature that we created. I glance over at Aria, and realize that tears are flooding out of her eyes as well.

"Do you want to know the sex of your baby?" Aria's doctor asks us.

"Yes please." Aria says with a nod.

"You're having a little boy. I'm going to leave you two alone while I find Aria some pamphlets." Doctor. Levi says with a smile.

"Oh Ezra, I'm so happy!" Aria exclaims as she wraps her arms around me.

"A little boy." I say repeating the Doctor's words.

I would have been equally as happy with a little girl, but right now I'm over the moon! I'm going to have a son, a baby boy whom I will love unconditionally. He'll look up to me, and I'll teach him everything I know about the world.

"What do you think?" Aria asks me with hint of nervousness in her voice.

"That I love you and our son more than anything in the world!" I say as I bend down and kiss my wife's round stomach.

"I love you too." Aria says with a sniffle.

"Let's get you two home." I say as I help Aria off the examination table.

Aria's POV

Ezra and I enjoy a warm bath together, and I smile when he wraps his arms around me. When first met Ezra, he proved to me that he could be the perfect gentleman. After we started dating he proved to me the was perfect boyfriend, and later he became my perfect husband.

When Ezra found out about my pregnancy, he was so happy that he started to cry. Ever since that day he's been doing everything he can to take care of me, and cater to my every whim. Whether I need Ezra to drive to McDonald's at two in the morning because I'm craving fries, take me maternity shopping because I'm getting to big to fit into my clothes, or simply hold me because my hormones are running wild, he's always there for me.

Ezra has proven that he is more than just a perfect husband, he's a perfect father. I can tell how much he loves our unborn son, and how excited he is to hold him for the first time. There is no doubt in my mind that I picked the perfect man to have children with.

"What are you thinking about?" Ezra asks as he bends down and kisses my neck.

"How much I love you, and how happy I am." I tell him truthfully.

"I love you more, and I'm so happy that you're giving me a little boy." Ezra tells me softly.

"Speaking of that little boy, do you know what we should name him?" I ask as I rest my hands over my stomach.

"Tell me your ideas first." Ezra instructs.

"I really like Dylan, or maybe Riley." I tell my husband thoughtfully.

"They sound like girl names to me." Ezra says with a wince.

"He'll be just like his daddy in that department." I say with a smirk.

"Aria..." Ezra whines.

"I hope he looks just like his daddy too." I say as I stare into Ezra's blue eyes.

Ezra chuckles before pressing his lips against mine. After he breaks the kiss, I run my fingers through his wet curls.

"I like Gregory." Ezra says suddenly.

"You do?" I ask as my face falls.

"Yes, it's the perfect name! Do you like it?" Ezra asks me curiously.

"It's okay, but I like Dylan or Riley better." I say with a pout.

"We'll talk about this later." Ezra says before kissing my forehead and getting out of the bathtub.

"Where do you think you're going?" I ask him in a fake angry voice.

"My last lecture of the day starts in an hour." Ezra reminds me.

"That's right! I'll see you tonight honey." I say with a warm smile.

"I'll see you tonight, and I love you so much." Ezra says to me.

"I love you too." I say as my husband walks out of the bathroom.

Line Break

After Ezra left for work, I decided to go for a walk at the park near our house. I enjoy the scenic atmosphere of the park, while I walk down a dirt path. A startled gasp escapes my lips when I feel someone grab my waist. I turn around and see rough-looking man in his late forties.

"Can I help you?" I ask with irritation in my voice.

"You're so beautiful." He mutters in response.

"Um thank you?" I say as I become even more creeped out.

"I'm going to make you mine." He says with a determined look on his face.

"Sorry but I'm happily married, hence the baby bump." I say as I gesture towards my round belly.

"I'm not asking you princess." The man growls as he pushes me against a tree.

Fear begins to overtake my body, and I finally realize what this man wants from me.

"Somebody help me!" I scream out in terror.

"Shut up." The man says before slapping me across my face.

I look around and realize that we're the only two people at the park. There isn't anyone here to save me from this creep.

"I want you to swallow this." The man says as he hands me a clear pill.

"No." I say as I shake my head vigorously.

The man responds by pulling a sharp knife out of his pocket.

"Swallow it." The man says as he points the knife towards my round stomach.

I nod, and swallow the pill. All I want is for Ezra to come to my rescue, and beat the crap out of this man.

"Are you happy?" I ask before I burst into tears.

"Not yet, but I will be." The man says with a sinister smile.

Within minutes, I begin to feel drowsy. I try to keep my eyes open, but I fail miserably. As soon as my eyes close, I feel the man pick me up and carry me away.

Line Break

My eyes flutter open, and I find myself handcuffed to a bed in a dark and unfamiliar room. I begin to sob uncontrollably when I recollect the details of what happened earlier today. How long have I been gone? Does Ezra know that I've been kidnapped?

"You're awake." I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn my head and see the creepy man from the park sitting on a chair next to the bed. I nod my head slowly, and continue to cry.

"Why so sad beautiful?" He asks me.

"I want to go home! Please call my husband and tell him to pick me up!" I beg.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The man tells me apologetically.

"What do you want from me? If this about money, my husband will give you whatever you asks for." I assure him.

"I don't need money when I have the greatest treasure in the world." The man says as he runs his hands through my unbrushed hair.

"Please just tell me what you want!" I plead.

"I want you." He growls.

"You can't have me!" I exclaim.

"I can, and I will. You're going to fall in love with me, and then you'll never want to go back to your husband." The man tells me.

"How long do you plan on keeping me here?" I ask him softly.

"Until the day we both die." He says before storming out of the room.

"Your sick plan isn't going to work, Ezra will find me!" I call out to the man.

The man doesn't respond, and now I'm alone in the dark room. I begin to cry harder than I've ever cried before, and soon I run out of tears.

Just when it seems like there's no hope and I have nothing to live for, I feel a soft kick coming from my abdominal area. A small ray of light makes its way into my shattered heart and I realize that I do have something to live for. I have my baby boy, and he's reminding me not to forget about him. I want to place my hands over my baby bump but the handcuffs prevent me from doing so.

"Mommy loves you so much Gregory Ezra Fitz. I promise I'll protect you." I whisper hoping the baby can hear me.

**What did you think of the first chapter? Should I continue this story? The next chapter will probably take place about five years later. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed :) **


	2. Our World

**Five and a Half Years Later**

**Aria's POV**

"You're so beautiful." My captor Nick says as he carries me to his bed.

I shutter as he places me on the center of his bed and crawls on top of me. He takes off all my clothes before thrusting himself inside of me. I use to cry when he did this to me, but I'm so use to it now that I hardly feel anything.

"Tell me how much you love me." He mutters as he picks up his speed.

"I love you so much." I say with no emotion.

Nick moans before releasing himself inside of me. After he's finished, Nick pulls me close to him and kisses my forehead.

"C-can I go back to Gregory now?" I ask him softly.

"God dammit Aria!" He screams before slapping me across the face forcefully.

The slap immediately causes my cheek to sting, and tears to pour out of my eyes.

"What was that for?" I ask as I clutch my swelling cheek.

"You're so ungrateful! I'm the one who takes care of you and your son, and if I wasn't so kind he'd have been dead after you pushed him out!" Nick reminds me.

_Flashback_

_I've been in this room for months, and I still haven't heard from the police or Ezra. I think about my husband everyday, and I wonder if he every thinks of me. Nick always tells me that Ezra doesn't matter, and that he's part of a past that doesn't exist any more. _

_The only thing I have to remember Ezra is the little boy growing inside of my womb. I feel so lonely here, and I can't wait until he's born._

_ As I'm thinking this, I begin to feel sharp pains coming from my abdominal area. Seconds later my water breaks, and I cry out in pain._

_"What's wrong?" Nick asks as he sprints into the room._

_"The baby is coming." I say in a barely audible whisper._

_"Okay, take care of it." Nick says with a shrug._

_"Take care of it? How am I suppose to take of it?" I scream furiously._

_"I don't know, spread your legs apart and push." Nick says with no emotion._

_"Please take me to a hospital." I beg._

_"Absolutely not! Someone might find us out." Nick hisses._

_"Please Nick! This hurts so much, and I don't know if I can do this on my own." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling._

_"We don't have any other options." Nick says as he takes a seat next to me._

_It's been hours since I went into labor, and the pain is almost unbearable. The contractions get worse, and I know it's time to push. Ezra took me to a birthing class before Nick abducted me, and luckily I remember some of the breathing exercises they taught us._

_I let out a shrill scream as I push with all my might, and the sound of a baby crying fills the room. Nick takes the baby in his arms and cuts my umbilical cord, and it makes me sick that Ezra isn't here to cut the cord. _

_"Can I hold him?" I ask Nick softly._

_"No, I'm taking care of him before you become too attached." Nick says cooly._

_"What do you mean take care of him?" I ask as my eyes grow wide with fear._

_"I don't want to support a baby who's not mine." Nick says with a shrug._

_"You're going to kill him?" I ask as my mouth goes dry._

_"I'm sorry Aria." Nick says with no emotion._

_"No, don't do this! You've already taken everything from me, don't take my baby too!" I scream hysterically._

_"That's just the problem Aria. You don't love me like I want you to, and I'm afraid that this baby will be a distraction. He might remind you of your old life, and I can't have that." Nick tells me seriously._

_"I do love you Nick! I love you more than I've ever loved anyone." I lie._

_The words leave a sour taste in my mouth, but I need to save my son._

_"More than you love your old husband?" Nick asks me softly._

_"Yes, so much more." I say as I stare at the ground._

_"As long as you don't let this baby change your feeling for me, I guess you can keep him." Nick says as he shoves the crying baby in my arms._

_"Thank you so much!" I say as relief fills my body._

_"I'm going to start dinner." Nick says as he storms out of the room. _

_I stare down at the little boy in my arms and my heart instantly melts. He has his daddy's blue eyes, and his beautiful bone structure. _

_Even though I'm stuck in this room with a monster and I'm far away from my husband, I've never felt happier in my life. Ezra and I created this precious child, and now he's mine to love and protect. The only thing that makes this moment less than perfect is that Ezra isn't here to share it with me._

_"Gregory Ezra Fitz, I love you so much." I say as I kiss the baby's forehead and cradle him close to me._

_Gregory's cries begin to soften, and soon he is sound asleep in my arms. For the first time since I've been in this prison, I don't feel so alone anymore._

_End Of Flashback_

"Why don't you want to stay with me?" Nick asks interrupting my thoughts.

"You know I want to stay with you, but Gregory gets scared when I'm gone." I tell him truthfully.

"Why do you love him so much?" Nick asks me softly.

"He's my child." I tell Nick.

"You love him in a way that you'll never love me!" Nick says in frustration.

"That's not true..." I start to say.

"Save it Aria! I'm going to fix this problem, we're going to have a baby together." Nick says with a smile.

"W-we are?" I ask as I try to keep tears from forming in my eyes.

The thought of having Nick's child makes me sick to my stomach. It isn't that I wouldn't love the child, and it's not his or her fault that their dad is a monster. My biggest concern with this arrangement is Gregory, how would he feel about having a little brother or sister?

"What do you think of the idea?" Nick asks me aggressively.

"It's a great idea." I mutter.

"Good, we'll start tomorrow night." Nick says as he pushes me off the bed.

I wince when I fall on the hard ground and land smack on my hip. I can already feel a bruise beginning to form.

I limp to the bedroom that I share with Gregory, and rush over to the five year-old when I hear him crying softly.

"Greg what's wrong?" I ask as I cradle the boy in my arms.

"I-I h-had a s-scary d-d-dream Mommy." Gregory says through his heavy sobs.

"Do you want to tell me about the dream?" I ask him softly.

"You died, and left me alone for a trillion years! Then I woke up and you weren't here, so I though the dream came true." Gregory says as he sobs into my chest.

"Oh baby, I'm right here." I say as I stroke his dark curly hair.

"Why do you always leave me in the middle of the night? I get so lonely Mommy." Gregory says with a sniffle.

"If it were up to me I'd stay with you forever, but I need to spend time with Nick." I tell him apologetically.

"I understand." Gregory says as he avoids eye contact.

Gregory is so much like his father that it feels like I'm holding a ghost. The little boy is so sensitive, and he always thinks of me before himself. He also shares Ezra's great love for reading and story telling.

"Gregory, can I ask you a question?" I ask him with a heavy sigh.

"Sure Mommy." Gregory says as he stares up at me with his piercing blue eyes.

"How would you feel if Mommy had a baby?" I ask him gently.

"But I'm your baby." Gregory reminds me.

"I know and you'll always be my baby, but how would you feel if I had another baby?" I ask as I hold my breath.

"Would that make you happy?" Gregory asks me.

"We're not talking about me, we're talking about you." I tell my son.

"What if you have the baby and decide you don't want me anymore?" Gregory asks as his chin quivers nervously.

"That could never happen! You know that I love you more than anything in the world!" I exclaim.

"I wouldn't be upset if you had another baby." Gregory says after thinking about it for a minute.

"You'd be such an amazing brother, and maybe you wouldn't be so lonely when I have to spend time with Nick if you had a baby in here with you." I say with a slight smile.

"Mommy how do you make a baby?" Gregory asks me suddenly.

"We can talk about that when you're older." I say with a chuckle.

"Will I ever be a daddy." Gregory asks me curiously.

I'm taken aback by my son's words. My biggest fear is that no one will ever find us, and Gregory will be stuck in this room until I die. I want Gregory to escape from this prison, and live a full and happy life.

"I hope so baby." I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

"But Mommy, I don't know any girls except for you." Gregory says with a frown.

"Gregory I want you to look at me." I tell my son seriously.

Gregory nods and stares into my hazel eyes.

"I promise that one day you'll get out of here, meet a nice girl, fall in love, and live happily ever after. You'll get a taste of freedom and independence, and you'll know what it really means to live." I say trying to convince him and myself.

"Mommy I don't want to leave! I love it here!" Gregory exclaims.

"I know, but you've been here since the day you were born. You don't know any better." I say to him.

"What could be better than our room? I get to spend all day playing with you, listening to your stories, and learning how to read." Gregory says with a wide smile.

I respond by pulling Gregory closer to me and kissing his forehead repeatedly.

"If I left, I would never see you again." Gregory says sadly.

"No, I would go with you." I tell him.

"Wouldn't you stay with Nick?" Gregory asks with a puzzled look on his face.

"Absolutely not." I say as I shake my head vigorously.

"But you love Nick! I hear you tell him all the time." Gregory reminds me.

Of course I don't love Nick! He kidnapped me, took my away from Ezra, and destroyed Gregory's childhood. I have to keep telling Nick that I love him because if I don't Gregory might get hurt.

"If I tell you something, will you promise not to tell Nick?" I ask my son.

"Yes Mommy." He says as he nods his head.

"There's a man out there who I love even more." I whisper to him.

"More than me?" Gregory asks me softly.

"No, I don't love anyone more than you! But I love him so much, and I think about him almost everyday." I say to the boy.

"Will I ever meet him Mommy?" Gregory asks me.

"I really hope so baby boy." I tell him truthfully.

"What's his name?" Gregory asks me.

"Ezra." I mutter.

I haven't said his name in over five years, and it feels nice to say it again.

"Why did you leave Ezra?" My son asks me curiously.

My son's words cause me to burst into tears. This boy doesn't know his own father, and it's all my fault. Ezra always told me not to go on walks alone, but I never listened to him.

"I'm so sorry Gregory." I say through my heavy sobs.

"Oh no! I made you cry Mommy!" Gregory says as tears begin to form in his eyes.

"No you didn't, you're the light in my life. Why don't you get some sleep?" I ask as I pull the sheets over his small body.

"I love you Mommy." Gregory says before closing his tired eyes.

"I love you too." I say with a sniffle.

I spend the rest of the night crying, and watching my son sleep. If things had turned out differently, he would be sleeping between me and his father.

**What did you think? Do you like the relationship between Aria and Gregory, and do you like the direction I'm taking? How will thinks unravel now that Gregory knows about Ezra? Will Aria get pregnant, and how would that affect her situation? Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed :) **


	3. Losing It

Aria's POV

"Mommy, wake up." I hear Gregory's voice say as he jumps on our bed.

I let out a loud sigh before opening my hazel eyes. I love Gregory, but sometimes I wish he would let me sleep in past six. Why doesn't he understand that we don't have anywhere important to go, so we might as well get a few extra hours of sleep? Now that I think about it, Ezra was always an early riser. That's the only trait I wish Gregory hadn't inherited from his father.

"Good morning my sweet boy." I say as I force a smile and pull Gregory in for a long hug.

"Good morning my sweet mommy." Gregory says with one of his adorable little giggles.

"Have you gone to the bathroom yet honey?" I ask Gregory.

Gregory shakes his head before crawling out of bed and running the bathroom. He comes back less than a minute later and curls up next to me.

"Mommy, can I ask you a question?" Gregory asks me softly.

"Anything baby." I say as I ruffle his curls.

"Why does my penis stick up every morning before I go pee-pee?" Gregory asks me curiously.

A blush begins to form on my cheeks, and it's times like these that I wish Gregory could confide in Ezra.

"Well honey, that's just your body's way of telling you to go to the bathroom. It's perfectly normal and healthy." I assure him.

"Oh, I always wondered about that." Gregory mutters.

"Now, can I ask you a question?" I ask my son.

"Sure Mommy." Gregory says with a nod.

"Why do you always wake up so early?" I ask him curiously.

"Because my eyes open silly!" Gregory says as though I should know the answer.

I laugh at the boy's response before kissing his forehead lightly. Gregory takes everything literally, so sometimes it's hard to get through to him.

"Don't you ever feel tired, and want to go back to sleep?" I ask my son.

"Sure, but when the moon goes down it's time to sleep, and when the sun comes up it's time to play!" Gregory says reciting one of his favorite children's books.

"That's true, but tomorrow morning can you play quietly until I wake up?" I ask him hopefully.

Gregory's face falls when I say this, and I wonder why he looks so upset.

"Mommy, I don't like when you're asleep." Gregory murmurs.

"Why not?" I ask him with confusion in my voice.

"Because you always cry in your sleep, and say the weirdest things." The little boy tells me softly.

I have nightmares almost every night, and they never seem to end. Sometimes I dream about the day Nick kidnapped me, and other times I dream about him raping me. Worst of all, I dream about Nick hurting Gregory, and there isn't anything I can do to help him.

"What do I say in my sleep?" I ask Gregory as my throat goes dry.

"Stuff like "stop" and "no." You seem very sad." Gregory says with a frown.

"I'm so sorry sweetheart. Mommy has a lot of scary dreams, and if you think I'm having one, feel free wake me up." I say to him.

"But Mommy, you just told me not to wake you up!" Gregory says with a puzzled look on his face.

Why did I tell Gregory not to wake me up? Sleep is usually my enemy, because it reminds me of the terrors I have to endure in my everyday life. There are those rare times when I fall asleep, and wish I never have to wake up. Last night was probably one of those nights, since I didn't wake up in a cold sweet.

"Sometimes I have nice dreams, and I want to enjoy them." I explain.

"I think you were having a nice dream last night. You were smiling instead of crying, and you said different words than you usually do." Gregory says thoughtfully.

"What words did I say?" I ask as panic begins to fill my body.

"You were saying words like "Ezra", "I love you" and, "faster." Also you kept making these really weird noises." Gregory says after thinking about it for a minute.

Slowly the details of the dream I had last night come flooding back into my memory. I was on a beach with Ezra, and we were having sex. It wasn't like the rough and painful sex that I have with Nick, it was gentle and slow. Unlike Nick, Ezra made my body feel amazing, and he kept me wanting more.

A smile begins to form on my face, but it quickly turns into a frown when I realize that I had a sex dream with my son sleeping right next to me.

"What was your dream about Momma?" Gregory asks me curiously.

Great, I was hoping he'd ask!

"I um, was laying on the beach with my good friend Ezra." I say as I avoid looking into Gregory's piercing blue eyes.

"Is Ezra your boyfriend?" Gregory asks with a mischievous smile.

"He's a little more than a boyfriend." I say with a small laugh.

"What do you mean?" Gregory asks with confusion in his voice.

I want to tell my son that Ezra is my husband, soul mate, and father of my child. I can't find the words to tell him, so I simply sigh to myself.

"It's time to start your math work." I mutter as I crawl out of bed.

Since Gregory can't go to kindergarten like every other five year-old in America, I take it upon myself to educate him. In the morning we do math problems, and after lunch we read and write. Since I was an English Professor before my abduction, I like to think that I'm qualified to teach my son everything he would be learning in school.

"Mommy, I don't want to do math! I want to read a story!" Gregory says with a pout.

"Gregory, you know the system. After you finish working on math, you get to read." I tell him seriously.

To my dismay, Gregory begins to cry hysterically. Sometimes when he doesn't get his way, Gregory throws these horrible tantrums. I cannot stand them, because it's so hard to calm the stubborn five year-old down when he's upset.

"Gregory, please don't do this today." I say as I begin to rub my temples in frustration.

"Why can't we read before lunch?" Gregory asks me through his tears.

"Because if we did your favorite thing first, you wouldn't have anything to look forward to." I say after thinking about it for a minute.

Gregory responds by grabbing a pillow and throwing it across the room. Next he rips the covers off the bed, and throws them to the ground.

"Gregory, stop it right now!" I shout.

"No math, no math, no math." Gregory chants.

"That's it, you're going to sit in the time-out chair until you agree to corporate with me." I say as I pick up the little boy and carry him to the wooden chair in the back of the room.

As soon as Gregory's butt hits the chair, he begins to scream at the top of his lungs. He hates when I put him on time-out, and he isn't going down without a fight.

"You're a mean Mommy!" Gregory yells angrily.

I roll my eyes before taking a seat on the bed. Even though Gregory didn't mean it, his words hurt my feelings. I do everything I can to give him a good life, but it never seems to b enough.

A startled gasp escapes from my lips when my bedroom door bursts open. In the doorway stands a livid looking Nick, and terror immediately fills my body.

"Why the Hell can't you control your stupid kid? I was trying to sleep, and his screaming woke me up." Nick growls as he sprints towards me.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.

"Sorry doesn't change the fact that I'm wide awake, now does it?" Nick asks before spitting on my face.

"Don't yell at Mommy, it's my fault." Gregory says before sprinting over to the bed and wrapping his arms around me protectively.

"Shut up you son of a bitch." Nick says before swinging his fist towards Gregory's face.

I block the punch, and end up getting hit square in the nose. I cry out in pain, and blood begins to trickle down my face.

"Don't you dare try to hit Gregory! You can hurt me all you want, but the second you lay a finger on him..." I start to say.

Before I can finish my sentence, Nick punches me in the stomach. It knocks the wind out of me, and it takes me a while to catch my breath.

"You're hurting my mommy." Gregory tells Nick furiously.

"I don't give a shit." Nick says before picking me up and dragging me out of the room.

Nick carries me to his room, before throwing me on the bed and raping me multiple times.

Line Break

After several torturous hours, Nick finally lets me go back to my room. My whole body is sore, and it takes a lot of effort for me to limp through the door. As soon as I set foot in the room, Gregory rushes over to me and wraps his arms around my waist.

"I'm sorry I was bad Mommy." Gregory says with tears streaming down his face.

I ignore the boy and make my way to the bed in the middle of the room. As soon as I get under the covers, I begin to cry hysterically.

"Mommy, please don't cry. I'll do all my math problems if it makes you feel better." Gregory tells me softly.

"It's not about the stupid math problems." I growl before I bury my head under the pillow.

"Momma..." He starts to say.

"Stop! Please just stop talking to me!" I scream at the five year-old.

Gregory stares at me with a hurt expression on his face, before he bursts into tears. Usually I cannot stand the idea of Gregory being sad, but today I'm to upset to care.

"You're not the only one who wants to lose it sometimes Gregory." I mutter before closing my tired eyes.

**What did you think? I know it's sad, but it will get better...eventually. The next chapter will be told from Gregory's perspective instead of Aria's. A lot of people have asked me to write a chapter in Ezra's POV. There will be plenty of those in the future, I promise, but right now I'm trying to capture what Aria and Gregory's lives are like. I will update the next chapter as soon as I get 30 reviews. Thank you so much for reading and for your continued support. I hope you're enjoying the story! **


	4. Gone

Gregory's POV

As soon as the sun comes up, my blue eyes shoot open. I look at Mommy, who is sleeping next to me, and decide not to wake her up.

Yesterday after her fight with mean old Nick, she came back to the room and slept even though the sun was still out. Whenever she does this, it means she's gone.

When Mommy is gone, she stays in bed all day and cries softly. I hate it when Mommy is gone because she's so sad, and she won't play with me. I know it's my fault she was gone yesterday, and that makes me feel even worse.

I walk over to my art supplies and work on the picture I started yesterday. It's a picture of Mommy and her boyfriend Ezra playing on the beach, and I hope it makes her feel better. I've never been to the beach, but I've seen pictures of it on TV. After I finish coloring the blue ocean, I walk over to Mommy and give her a big kiss on the forehead.

"Mommy, are you still gone?" I whisper softly.

Mommy doesn't answer, so I know to leave her alone. My tummy makes a funny noise, so I walk to the food section of our room and eat an apple.

After I eat my apple, I turn on the TV and watch Disney Channel. I love watching TV, but Mommy only lets me after we finish our work for the day. Since Mommy's gone, I'm sure she won't mind if I break the rules.

I frown when Nick walks into the bedroom, and lays down next to my mommy.

"Aria, can we go outside and talk?" Nick asks her softly.

Mommy doesn't budge, and an angry look washes over Nick's face. I run over to where Nick and Mommy are laying so I can make sure he doesn't hurt her anymore.

"Mommy's gone today." I tell Nick softly.

"It's your fault you know. If you hadn't thrown one of your stupid tantrums, I wouldn't have lost my temper." Nick says with a sigh.

"If you hadn't lost your temper, Mommy wouldn't be gone." I say with tears streaming down my face.

"Whatever, just tell her I'm sorry." Nick says before spanking Mommy's bottom.

"Don't hit her! You'll make her stay gone." I say angrily.

Nick laughs before ruffling my curly hair. I really hate when he touches me.

"Your mommy likes when I spank her, it turns her on." Nick says with a chuckle.

What does he mean it "turns her on?"

"See ya kid." Nick says before leaving me and Mommy alone in the room.

I try to focus on my TV show, but I can't stop thinking about what Nick said. I have a toy doggy, and every time I turn him on he starts to bark. Maybe if I turn Mommy on, she'll stop being gone!

I walk over to the bed, and spank Mommy just like Nick did. She doesn't move so I spank her again, and again.

"Gregory, what in the world are you doing?" Mommy asks as she sits up in bed.

It worked! I turned Mommy on!

"I was trying to turn you on Mommy." I say with a proud smile.

"Huh?" Mommy asks with a confused look on her face.

"Nick came in here and spanked you. I got angry because I thought he was hurting you, but he told me it turned you on. I wanted you to stop being gone, so I turned you on." I explain.

Mommy looks at me for a minute, before she starts to laugh hysterically. What's so funny?

"Baby, don't listen to a word that idiot says." Mommy says as she pulls me in for a long hug.

I nod and cuddle close to my mommy. I missed her while she was gone, and she smells like coconut shampoo. I definitely have the nicest, and most beautiful Mommy in the whole wide world!

"I'm so sorry I yelled at you yesterday." Mommy says as strokes my cheek gently.

"It's okay Mommy, I'm sorry I was bad." I say as I look away from her.

"Thank you Gregory." Mommy says softly.

An idea pops into my brain, and I crawl out of bed.

"Honey, where are you going?" Mommy asks me curiously.

"I made you a present." I say as I grab my drawing and shove it into Mommy's hands.

"It's beautiful." Mommy says as she stares at the picture.

"Do you know who it is?" I ask her curiously.

"It's us playing on the beach. Why did you make yourself taller than me? I know I'm short Gregory, but I'm still taller than you." Mommy says with a small smile.

"It's not me, it's Ezra." I tell her softly.

Mommy gasps, and stares at me with a surprised expression on her face.

"I don't know what Ezra looks like, so I drew a bigger version of myself." I explain.

After I say this, Mommy starts to cry really hard. I get scared because I don't want her to be sad, and be gone again.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" I ask as tears begin to form in my eyes.

"I'm crying because I'm so happy." Mommy says with a sniffle.

What? People are supposed to cry when they're sad, not happy. Mommy confuses me sometimes. It's probably because she's a girl.

"This looks just like Ezra, great job baby." Mommy says as she hugs me so tightly that I can hardly breath.

"I love you Momma." I tell her truthfully.

"I love you too sweetheart, more than you'll ever know." Mommy says before she gives me a big kiss on the forehead.

I lay next to Mommy, and listen to her soft breathing. I love when she holds me like this, it makes me feel very happy.

"Mommy?" I ask her softly.

"What is it love?" Mommy asks as she looks into my blue eyes.

"I'll do all my math problems when you want to get out of bed." I tell her.

"You know what, why don't we skip math today?" Mommy asks me.

Skip math! The only time Mommy lets me do that is on Saturdays, Sundays, or my birthday. It's Thursday today, and my birthday isn't for another seven months. This is a very special occasion.

"If we don't do math, what will we do?" I ask her curiously.

"Can we just lay here together for a while?" Mommy asks me hopefully.

I don't like laying down when the sun is up because that's my time to play. I can tell that Mommy really wants me to lay down with her, so I'll do it because it makes her happy.

Usually I'm not tired when the sun is up, but I didn't sleep well last night because Mommy was gone. She starts rubbing my back, and it feels really nice. I can feel my eyes getting heavy, and a few minutes later I fall asleep in Mommy's arms.

Aria's POV

I stare at my sleeping son and stroke his dark curls. I feel horrible that I lost my temper last night, and I hope Gregory knows how much I love him.

Tears begin to form in my eyes when the door to our room creeks open. Nick is the last person I want to see, and I wish he'd let me have one free afternoon.

"You're awake." He tells me softly.

I roll my eyes before burying my head under my pillow.

"Can I speak with you outside for a minute?" He asks me hopefully.

"Why? So you can rape me again?" I spit out hatefully.

"It's not rape if you enjoy it. You love me Aria, I know you do. If it weren't for me, you'd have no one to take care of you." Nick says before running his fingers through my messy hair.

Yes I would, I'd have Ezra!

"Would you keep it down? Gregory is sleeping." I say as I gesture towards the little boy.

"Only if you agree to come outside with me." Nick says as his tone becomes more aggressive.

I reluctantly nod my head before crawling out of bed and walking to Nick's room. I lay down on his bed, and wait for him to join me.

"I'm sorry I lose my temper last night beautiful. It won't happen again." Nick says as he pulls me close to him.

"That's what you said last time, and the time before that." I remind him.

"I know, it's just that you make me so mad." Nick says before ripping my shirt off my body.

"How?" I ask him curiously.

"You always stand up for Gregory, instead of me." Nick tells me softly.

"I'm always going to stand up for Gregory, he's my baby." I mutter as Nick presses his erection against my flat stomach.

"I meant what I said the other day. I want to have a baby with you Aria." Nick says to me.

"Let's get started then." I say before shutting my eyes and praying that this will be over soon.

**What did you think? Did you like hearing Gregory's POV? What did you think about his thoughts towards Aria, Nick, and Ezra? Will Aria get pregnant? I hope you're enjoying the story, and I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get 30 reviews. Thanks for reading, and for your continued support. **


	5. Hits and Chocolates

**Two Months Later**

Aria's POV

My hazel eyes flutter open, and I smile when I see Gregory reading his book quietly. He is so smart and independent for his age, and I couldn't be more proud of the boy.

"Good morning baby." I say before ruffling his dark and curly locks.

"Good morning Mommy." Gregory says before slamming his book shut and wrapping his little arms around me.

I kiss my son's forehead before climbing out of bed, and making my way into our small bathroom.

I sit on the toilet and sigh when I see dark blood in my panties. I started my period. I walk over to the drawer in the bathroom, and pull out my box of pads.

"Shit." I mutter when I realize I'm out of pads.

Whenever I need something from the outside world, I have to ask Nick to buy it for me. Asking him for feminine products is extremely awkward, and it usually annoys him. He always tells me he doesn't want to waste money on pads and tampons, and I should just stick toilet paper into my panties. I always have to explain that the bleeding is heavy, and It soaks through toilet paper within minutes. Nick usually agrees to buy the stuff for me, but it makes him angry, and I'm the brute of his anger.

It's times like these when I miss Ezra, and remember how well he treated me. When we first got married, we agreed that every week we'd take turns buying groceries. When it wasn't my week, I'd make a list of things that I needed Ezra to pick up from the store, and he did the same. Whenever I needed pads or tampons, I'd write it on the list and he'd buy them for me, no questions asked.

The first time I put pads and tampons on the list, Ezra came home with ten boxes of each. When I asked him about it, he told me that he didn't know which brand I liked, so he bought all of them. I told him that I like Tampax Pearl, and every month after he bought me that brand.

After living with me for a few months, Ezra figured out that I start my period on the sixth and end my period on the thirteenth. He also discovered that I get really bad craps on the second day of my cycle, and the only thing that helps the pain is chocolate. Every month on the seventh, Ezra came home from work with a box of chocolates just for me. He never teased me, or even said the word "period." He would just hand me the box of chocolates, kiss my forehead, and tell me he loved me. Even after I got pregnant with Gregory and stopped getting my period, he came home with chocolates on the seventh. Maybe he did it because it became a habit for him, or maybe he did it because he loved me that much.

"Mommy, you've been in there for a long time! Does your tummy hurt?" Gregory asks as he knocks on the bathroom door.

"No sweetheart, I was just thinking." I say before taking several paper towels and sliding them into my panties.

After I put in the make-shift pad, I leave the bathroom and scoop Gregory into my arms.

"It's time to start your math baby." I say as I lead him to the table where we do his work.

Gregory nods and begins to work on some of the problems I wrote for him. It takes the boy ten minutes to finish his work, and he gets everything right the first time through.

"I don't understand why you hate math, you're so good at it!" I exclaim.

"I don't hate math, I just like reading better." Gregory says after thinking about it for a minute.

"Just like your Daddy." I mutter under my breath.

"What did you say Mommy?" Gregory asks as he lifts his little head.

"Nothing sweetheart." I say as I force a smile.

Line Break

After Gregory finishes his math for the day, I make him a turkey sandwich with chips. Since he's so eager to start his reading, Gregory gobbles the food down within minutes.

"All done Momma!" Gregory says as he shoves the empty plate into my hands.

"Eat slower next time honey, I wouldn't want you to get a tummy ache." I tell him seriously.

Gregory nods before sprinting over to the bookshelf and grabbing a book.

"Which book did you pick out?" I ask him curiously.

"Charlie and The Chocolate Factory!" He exclaims.

"Pick a different book, we read that one a month ago." I remind him.

"But I love it so much Mommy!" Gregory says as he stares at me with his piercing blue eyes that I can never say no to.

"Okay, but only because I love you so much!" I say with a chuckle.

Gregory cheers before running into my arms, and opening the first page of the book.

Line Break

After a fun day of reading, math, and coloring, I tuck Gregory into bed and admire the beautiful little boy.

"Sweet dreams Gregory, I love you so much!" I say before bending down and kissing his forehead.

"I love you too Mommy." Gregory says with a tired smile.

I get under the covers next to Gregory, and quickly realize that he isn't closing his eyes.

"Baby, you can't sleep with your eyes open." I say with a chuckle.

"Are monsters real?" He asks me suddenly.

My son's question causes a lump to form in my throat. I remember asking the same question when I was his age, and my mother told me that monsters don't exist. I know first hand that monsters are very real.

"Yes, but not the kind of monster you're thinking of." I tell him softly.

"What do you mean?" Gregory asks with confusion in his voice.

"Monsters with colored fur and pointy teeth only exist in your stories, but there are horrible people in this world who have no problem hurting good people like you and me." I say with a sad sigh.

"Why?" Gregory asks as he furrows his brow.

"I have no idea, but I know that I hate those people. I hate them so much that it consumes me sometimes." I tell him passionately.

"You told me not to hate anybody." Gregory says with confusion in his voice.

"Some people deserve to be hated." I mutter.

"That isn't fair Mommy!" Gregory exclaims.

"Why isn't it fair?" I ask him.

"Those monsters might not have mommies who read to them, or give them hugs and kisses." Gregory tells me softly.

As a mother, there are times when your own child puts you to shame. For me, this is one of those moments. So many things have been taken away from my son, yet he refuses to hate anyone. Just like his father, Gregory is a much better person than I am.

"Those monsters probably don't have a little boy like you either." I say before pulling Gregory close to me and inhaling his scent of children's shampoo.

"I like when you hold me like this Mommy, it makes me feel safe." Gregory says before burying his head in my chest.

"I'll always keep you safe Gregory. I won't let any monsters hurt you." I say to him and myself.

"I love you Mommy." Gregory says with a tired yawn.

"I love you too my sweet boy, please get some rest." I beg.

Gregory nods before closing his tired eyes. It takes less than a minute for him to fall asleep in my protective arms.

A few minutes after Gregory falls asleep, the bedroom door creeks open. I let out a muffled sigh when I see Nick standing in the doorway.

"Come with me love." Nick whispers.

I nod before crawling out of bed, and making the short journey to Nick's bedroom. As soon as we lie down, Nick undresses me.

After several hours of "making love", Nick finally decides that he's satisfied. He holds me in his rough arms, and I decide that now is a good time to ask him for pads and tampons.

"Nick, are you going to the store tomorrow?" I ask him softly.

"I wasn't planning on it. Why?" He asks as he strokes my dark hair.

How does he not know what I'm going to ask for? He obviously saw the blood when he has having sex with me. By the way, having sex while you're on your period is the most uncomfortable thing in the world.

"Well, I started my period today and I'm out of stuff." I say as bravely as I can.

"Dammit Aria!" He growls angrily.

"I'm sorry, but I have needs..." I start to say.

"It's not the stupid pads I'm angry about! If you're getting your period you're not pregnant!" He says with disappointment in his voice.

I didn't think about that this morning. I should have know that Nick would be angry about our failed attempts to make a baby. But why is he getting mad now, instead of when he first saw the blood? Maybe he got carried away and didn't notice the change in my body until I brought it up.

"Why aren't you getting pregnant? What the fuck is wrong with you?" Nick asks before slapping me across the face forcefully.

The slap causes me to burst into tears. It's not the stinging sensation on my cheek that causes me to cry, it's the knowledge that Nick can do this to me and get away with it.

"Oh Aria, I'm sorry I lost my temper." Nick says as his voice softens.

"There's nothing wrong with me Nick. It can take up to a year for a woman to get pregnant, and we've only been trying for two months." I say through my tears.

"I just get frustrated because I want this so badly." Nick says with a sigh.

I wish I could say that I do too, but that would be a lie.

I understand how Nick feels though, because it took me and Ezra nearly seven months to conceive Gregory. Those months were filled with fear, confusion, and negative pregnancy tests. I was so afraid that I'd never get pregnant, but Ezra always told me not to worry, and that everything happens for a reason. Every time I took a pregnancy test and the result was negative, I would cry and Ezra would hold me. There were nights when I wanted to be alone, so I made him sleep on the couch. Now that it's all said and done, I regret all the times I pushed him away. I wish I had let him hold me longer, and I wish I had hugged him tighter.

"If it's meant to happen it will." I tell Nick flatly.

Nick responds by giving me a slobbery kiss on the forehead.

"I'll go to the store after work tomorrow. Is there anything else you need?" He asks me.

I make a mental list in my head, and recite it to him.

"I need a new book to read, and new pants for Gregory since he's out growing his old pair." I say to the man.

Nick looks annoyed with my requests, but he doesn't say anything about them. I remember that tomorrow will be the second day of my cycle, and I'll probably get horrible cramps. I think of Ezra, and the chocolates he used to buy me. Without thinking about it, I open my mouth and place one last request.

"Can you also buy me a box of chocolates?" I ask him hopefully.

Nick looks at me like I'm out of my mind.

"Are you fucking serious? Money doesn't grow on trees, and I can't afford to princess you Aria." Nick growls.

Neither could Ezra, but he treated me like a princess anyway.

"Sorry, forget I asked." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Will you spend the night with me?" Nick asks me suddenly.

I'm tempted to say no, and go back to Gregory. I know I can't do this because I've already upset Nick tonight, and I don't want him to lose his temper again.

"Of course." I say as I force a smile.

Nick smiles before pressing his lips against mine.

"Good night babe." He mutters before pulling me close to him.

"Good night." I say as I close my eyes.

I try to fall asleep, but I'm unsuccessful. I never sleep well when I'm away from Gregory because I worry that he'll have a bad dream and I won't be there. If only he could understand that I'm trying to protect him by keeping the monster happy.

**What did you think of this chapter? Will Gregory be upset about Aria spending the night with Nick? Something big happens in the next chapter, and it will make Aria very happy ;). Any guesses on what's going to happen? I'll post again on Friday if I get 35 reviews. Thanks for reading and I hope you're enjoying the story.**

**I got a review telling me that this should be rated M. I don't read a lot of stories that are rated M because I assumed that they were mostly smut. Even though I don't write sex scenes, Aria is being abused and raped so maybe I should change the rating? What do you think? Is this story a high T or an M? Please let me know so I can give this story the right rating. Thank you! **


	6. The Book

Gregory's POV

When my eyes open, it's still dark outside. I hate the dark, so I cuddle close to my mommy. Wait, where is Mommy? Her side of the bed is empty, and I'm all alone.

I get out of bed and run to the bathroom, but she isn't there. I walk over to the door that Nick and Mommy sometimes use, and stare at it. I've never been outside of the room, but I know you need to use the door to leave.

I don't want to leave the room, but what if Mommy needs me to rescue her? I'll be just like the superheroes in my books who save the princess and live happily ever after. I reach for the metal handle that Nick uses to open the door, but it doesn't open. I try again, but the door stays closed.

How come Nick can open the door but I can't? Where do Mommy and Nick go after they leave the room? Do they go to the beach, or maybe Disneyland? I always thought those places only exist on TV.

If the beach and Disneyland exist outside of the TV, do the dungeons and fire pits exist too? What if Nick took Mommy there?

I start to cry, and bang on the door with my fists. If Mommy isn't in the room with me, how will she protect me from evil monsters? How will I protect her from evil monsters?

I scream and cry, but Mommy doesn't come for me. What if she never comes back? I'd be stuck in this room all alone.

Aria's POV

"Good morning beautiful." I hear a raspy voice say.

My hazel eyes flutter open, and I realize that I'm laying in bed with Nick. The details of last night flood into my brain, and I let out a tired yawn.

"I'm sorry I woke you up, but I have to leave for work." Nick says with an apologetic smile.

I nod before crawling out of bed with Nick. He pins my hands behind my back roughly, and leads me into the long hallway.

We approach the room, and he unlocks the door before pushing me inside the prison. Seconds after I'm inside of the room, he slams the door and locks it.

A startled gasp escapes from my lips when I see Gregory, who is fast asleep on the hard floor. I scoop the child into my arms before tucking him into bed, and laying down next to him.

I use this opportunity to admire the child that Ezra and I brought into this world. Gregory's thumb rests between his two lips, and his eyes are sealed shut. He looks so peaceful in his sleep, and part of me wishes he could stay in this state if oblivion forever.

My wish doesn't come true, and as soon as Gregory's eyes open, he begins to sob hysterically.

"M-Mommy." Gregory cries before wrapping his little arms around me.

"Honey why are you so upset? Did you have a scary dream?" I ask with worry in my voice.

"I woke up and you weren't here. I cried and cried, but you didn't come back for me. I thought that maybe Nick took you to a dungeon, or a pit of fire." Gregory says through his heavy sobs.

The though of Gregory being scared and alone breaks my heart, and I have to bite my tongue to keep from crying.

"It's okay sweetheart, Mommy just decide to spend the night with Nick." I say trying to sooth the boy.

Gregory goes from sad to angry in less than a spilt second, and I don't know what caused this change in attitude.

"You slept with Nick instead of me?" Gregory asks as his eyes grow wide with furry.

"Honey you have to understand..." I start to say.

"You're suppose to keep me safe from monsters! You promised you would Mommy!" Gregory says through his heavy sobs.

"I was keeping you safe." I say as my voice softens.

"No you weren't! You were with Nick instead of me, and a giant purple monster with sharp teeth came inside to eat me." Gregory mutters.

My son's words cause me to smile, he has his daddy's imagination.

"Gregory, I was just down the hall. If any monster came into the room, I could have gotten to you in a second." I assure him.

"Why didn't you come when I was crying?" Gregory asks as he stares at me with his big blue eyes.

If I had heard Gregory crying, I would have left Nick at that moment. I probably didn't hear him since I was sound asleep.

"I'm so sorry Gregory." I say in response.

Gregory huffs before turning his back to me and burying his head underneath his pillow.

"Gregory..." I start to say.

"Don't talk to me Mommy, I'm gone today." Gregory tells me seriously.

I let out a heavy sigh before wrapping my arms around Gregory and pulling him in for a long hug.

"I hate you." Gregory says as he pushes me away from him.

As soon as he says this, a fresh batch of tears form in my eyes. Gregory has every right to hate me, it's my fault he's stuck in this prison. I do everything I can to compensate for his loss, but nothing I do will ever be enough. What will Gregory think of me when he's old enough to understand what he's missing? He'll probably hate me even more than he already does.

I scurry out of the bed before going into the bathroom and locking the door behind me. As soon as I'm out of Gregory's sight, I begin to sob. To prevent the five year-old from hearing, I turn on the bath faucet to drown out the sound of my crying. After, I take off my clothes and lay in the warm bath water.

How easy would it be for me to fall asleep, and drown in the bathtub? I'd never have to see Nick again, or live with the guilt and pain that consumes me. The only thing that keeps me from escaping this miserable life is the little boy who is laying a few feet away from me. If I died, Nick wouldn't take care of him. He'd probably kill Gregory on the spot, and he'd never get to meet Ezra or live in the real world. I would never let that happen, I love my son way too much.

I step out of the bathtub and put on my clothes before leaving the bathroom and walking over to the couch. I sit there for a minute, and pretend that I'm anyone but myself.

My mood changes when I feel a warm body pressed up against mine. Gregory crawls into my arms before giving me a soft kiss on the forehead.

"Mommy, I don't hate you." He says softly.

"I know." I say before ruffling his curly brown hair.

"I'm happy you're back." Gregory tells me.

"I am too." I tell Gregory truthfully.

All of the sudden, I feel pretty lucky to be myself.

Line Break

"And they lived happily ever after." Gregory reads before shutting one of his children's books.

"Good job baby." I say with a proud smile.

"Thanks Mommy." Gregory says as his little face lights up.

"I should start dinner. How does a cheese sandwich sound?" I ask him.

"Delicious!" Gregory exclaims.

I chuckle before entering the kitchen area of the room and starting Gregory's sandwich. My heart sinks in my chest when the doorknob to our room begins to turn. This can only mean one thing, Nick is home from work.

"I'm home!" Nick says as he enters the room.

"Hi honey." I say as I force a smile.

"I don't have time to talk, but I got you the stuff you asked for." Nick says before walking over to me and shoving a bag into my arms.

"Thanks." I say before giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

"This stuff cost me a fortune, so you better enjoy it." Nick mutters as he storms out of the room and locks the door behind him.

I look through the stuff and smile when I see a new box of pads. I take them out of the bag and rush to the bathroom before I can see what else he bought me. When I renter the room, Gregory is standing over the bag and looking through a thick book.

"What do you have there?" I ask him curiously.

"Nick bought you a new book." Gregory says as he looks up at me.

"That was nice of him." I mutter to myself.

"Mommy, what is Ezra's last name?" Gregory asks me suddenly.

"Fitz." I say as I stare at him with a puzzled look on my face.

"I didn't know Ezra writes books." Gregory says with excitement in his voice.

"What on Earth are you taking about?" I ask him confused.

Gregory responds by running over to where I am standing and handing me the new book. My throat goes dry when I read the cover page of the book. It's titled "Meet Me After Class" and it's by Ezra Fitz. Did he really write a book about me?

I turn the book over and see a picture of the love of my life, who I haven't seen in five and a half years. Ezra still has the same piercing blue eyes, and curly brown hair. Before I can stop myself, I burst into tears.

"Mommy, why are you crying?" Gregory asks with panic in his voice.

"Gregory, do you see this man?" I ask as I point to the picture of Ezra.

"Yes Mommy." Gregory says with a small nod.

"It's Ezra, and he's your father." I say as I begin to sob even harder if that's humanly possible.

Gregory stares at the picture for a minute, before he begins to cry along with me.

"I have a Daddy?" Gregory asks me in disbelief.

I nod my head before pulling Gregory close to me and kissing his forehead repeatedly.

"Why isn't he here with us?" Gregory asks me through his tears.

Gregory's question causes my heart to stop for half a second. How am I going to explain this to a five-year old.

"It doesn't matter honey. All that matters is that he loves you more than anything in the world." I say as I stroke my son's cheek.

"How do you love someone who you don't know?" Gregory asks me with confusion in his voice.

I want to tell Gregory about all the times Ezra laid by me while I was pregnant with him, and kissed my round stomach. I want to tell Gregory that Ezra used to whisper, "I love you" to him every chance he got. I wonder if Gregory would recognize Ezra's voice if he heard it again. Most importantly, I want to tell Gregory that Ezra is the most loving man I've ever met, and he would have done anything to hold his son at least once. This kind of love is impossible to describe, and you can only understand its power if you've witnessed it first hand.

"You're young, and there are things about the world that you don't understand." I tell the boy truthfully.

Gregory doesn't ask me anymore questions. Instead he takes the book from me and stares at the picture of Ezra.

"You look just like him." I say before pressing my thumb over the picture of Ezra.

"Do you miss him Mommy?" Gregory asks me suddenly.

I give my son a small nod before pulling him in for a long hug. Gregory takes a seat on my lap and opens the book to the dedication page.

"For my beautiful wife and our baby boy. I love you Aria, wherever you are." -Ezra Fitz

After all these years, Ezra still hasn't given up on me. Ezra promised he'd always love me, but sometimes I have my doubts. It would be so easy for Ezra to meet a beautiful woman, and forget all about me. Now I remember why I fell in love with Ezra in the first place; he's the most loyal and passionate man on the planet. If there's any hope of me and Gregory being rescued, that hope lies in Ezra. He'll find a way back to us if it's the last thing he does.

"Did you read that Mommy? Ezra loves you!" Gregory exclaims.

"And I love him baby, so much." I say as I read and reread the words.

**What did you think? How will Gregory act now that he knows Ezra is his father? How will the book affect Aria? I'll post the next chapter on monday if I get 40 reviews. Thank you all so much for reading, and I hope you have a lovely day :) **


	7. Nick's Room

Gregory's POV

Mommy didn't sleep at all last night. She kept the light on even though the moon was out, and she read my Daddy's book. Mommy thought I was asleep, even though I was awake for most of the night.

It wasn't the light that kept me awake, it was the thought of having a daddy. I didn't know I had one until yesterday, so this is a big surprise.

I wonder what my daddy is like. Is he gentle like Mommy, or is he rough like Nick? Does he like to read books, or does he like to do math problems? Does he sleep when the moon is down and play when the sun is up? Does he love me?

Mommy says he does, but sometimes she says things she doesn't mean. Like the time she told me she'd spank me if I didn't finish my vegetables. I didn't finish them, but she didn't spank me, because Mommy never hurts me. Sometimes after Mommy spends time with Nick, she comes back into our room crying. She tells me she's okay, but Mommy only cries when something is wrong.

Maybe Daddy isn't in the room with Mommy because he doesn't love me. Mommy probably only says he loves me because she doesn't want to make me sad. I wonder if I did something wrong, and that's why we're not a family.

"Honey, breakfast is ready!" Mommy says as she puts my scrambled eggs on a plate.

I walk over to our table and eat the delicious eggs. Mommy makes the best food, and sometimes I wish my tummy is bigger so I can eat more of it.

"How did you sleep last night baby?" Mommy asks as she takes a seat next to me.

I don't want to tell her I stayed awake, or she might make me take a nap. I don't want to lie either, so I ask her a question.

"How did you sleep last night Mommy?" I ask, even though I already know the answer.

"Very well." Mommy says with a chuckle.

Why is Mommy saying things that aren't true? It confuses me!

"Mommy, you shouldn't lie! It's not very nice." I tell her angrily.

"What are you talking about?" Mommy asks me.

"I know you stayed up reading Daddy's book." I say as I avoid looking into her eyes.

Mommy starts to laugh, but I don't know why.

"It looks like you busted me Gregory." She says through her giggles.

"It's not funny Mommy. I don't like when you lie to me." I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

"Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry. I know it upsets you when our routine gets messed up, so I wanted you to think I was asleep like I am every night." Mommy says as she pulls me in for a long hug.

"You always tell me not to lie." I remind her.

"I know Gregory. Mommy only lies to protect you." She says before kissing my forehead lovingly.

I nod, and decide to stop being angry. I have questions for Mommy, and she won't answer them if I'm not on my best behavior.

"What is Daddy's book about?" I ask her curiously.

"It's about me." Mommy says as her cheeks turn bright red.

Daddy must really love my Mommy if he wrote a book about her. If he loves me, I'm probably in the book too!

"Am I in the book?" I ask her softly.

Mommy nods and gives me a small smile.

"You're in the epilogue when Daddy talks about us getting married and having you. He called you Riley instead of Gregory though." Mommy says with a little laugh.

Why did he call me Riley? My name is Gregory!

"When you were in my tummy, your father and I used to fight about what we wanted to name you. I wanted to call you Riley, but he loved the name Gregory." Mommy tells me.

"I'm confused! If you wanted to name me Riley, why did you name me Gregory? And if Daddy wanted to name me Gregory, why did he call my character Riley?" I ask with a puzzled look on my face.

"When two people are in love they do things to make each other happy, even though it's not always what that person wants. Since I get you all to myself, I thought it was fair for Daddy to choose your name." Mommy explains.

"Like how you watch Spongebob with me even though you think his voice is annoying?" I ask after thinking about it for a minute.

"Exactly like that honey." Mommy says before ruffling my curl hair.

"I'm happy you named me Gregory. Riley is a girl's name." I say as I wrinkle my nose.

"Daddy said the same thing a few hours before everything fell apart..." Mommy says before she starts to cry really hard.

Mommy was laughing a few minutes ago, but now she's crying. Girls really confuse me.

"Mommy, why are you sad?" I ask her with confusion in my voice.

"I just miss your daddy." Mommy says as she wipes away some of her tears.

A great idea pops into my brain, and I have to tell Mommy about it! She'll be so happy, and she'll think I'm a genius.

"We should tell Daddy to have dinner with us in our room, just like Nick does! Maybe he could read me a bedtime story, and kiss me goodnight." I say as my face lights up.

Mommy doesn't seem to like my idea, because she starts to cry even harder!

"I wish it was that simple Gregory, but Daddy can't come for dinner." Mommy says through her tears.

"Why? Does he not love me?" I ask as my face falls.

"Gregory, I told you yesterday that Daddy loves you more than anything in the world! If he could come for a visit, he'd do it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately, Nick would never let anyone get near us." Mommy says with a whimper.

I know I'm not suppose to hate anyone, but sometimes I hate Nick! He takes Mommy away from me at night, and he won't let me see my daddy! It isn't fair.

"Where is Daddy?" I ask Mommy softly.

"I don't know baby." Mommy says before wrapping her arms around me.

How does Mommy not know? She's suppose to know everything!

"Why isn't Daddy with us." I ask Mommy.

Mommy cries and cries, but she doesn't answer my question.

"Mommy?" I ask as I raise my voice a little.

"I can't tell you Gregory." Mommy says with a heavy sigh.

"Why not? You said we don't keep secrets!" I remind her.

"I know, but you're to young to understand." Mommy says with a sniffle.

I hate when Mommy says I'm to young to understand something. What makes older people more capable of understanding?

"I'm five, remember?" I ask as I raise an eyebrow.

"Exactly. You're still a baby Gregory, you're my baby." Mommy says as she pulls me close to her.

"I'm not a baby, I'm a big boy!" I shout angrily.

Mommy doesn't respond. She just keeps on crying, and holding me so tightly that I can barely breathe.

After a few minutes of Mommy holding me, the door to our room bursts open. This is strange because usually Nick doesn't come until it gets dark outside. Then I remember, it's Sunday. I like Sundays because I don't have to do math, but I hate them because sometimes Nick takes Mommy away during the day.

"Why all the tears?" Nick asks as he walks towards Mommy.

"She's sad because she misses..." I start to say.

"I read a sad book, nothing to worry about." Mommy says as she gives me a gentle nudge.

When Mommy nudges me like she just did, I know to stop talking. I wish I could talk, because I want to ask Nick why he won't let me see Daddy.

"God, why does your period make so emotional?" Nick asks as he rolls his eyes.

A period is a dot that you write at the end of the sentence. A period is also what happens to Mommy once a month. Blood comes out of her vagina, and she has to wear diapers so it doesn't get all over our room. Period has two meanings, so does that make it a homophone?

"Aria, come with me now." Nick growls.

I look up at Mommy, and realize she looks scared. Does Nick want to feed her to a dragon, or throw her into a pit of fire?

"I want Mommy to stay with me." I say as bravely as I can.

"I don't care what you want, she's coming with me." Nick says in a scary voice.

Maybe I can go with Mommy and Nick. If we're together, nothing bad can happen to either one of us.

"I want to come too." I say as I wrap my arms around Mommy's legs.

"No, you have to stay in our room Gregory." Mommy tells me seriously.

"Why? Maybe I can teach him a few lessons." Nick says with a smile.

What kind of lessons does Nick want to teach me? Maybe he can tell me more about homophones.

"No, absolutely not!" Mommy says in the most angry voice I've ever heard her use.

"Come on Aria! He can wait in the closet." Nick says with a shrug.

I don't want to wait in a closet, that's where monsters live.

"I don't want you doing THAT to me while my son is in the room." Mommy says as tears begin to form in her eyes.

What is THAT?

"Too bad." Nick says before walking over to me and Mommy.

Nick takes a shiny knife out of his pocket, and it looks sharper than the ones Mommy uses to cut my apples and cheese. Next, Nick does something really scary. He takes the knife, and holds it up to Mommy's throat. She cries softly, and I'm to upset to say or do anything.

"Listen to me boy, I'm going to take you and your mother to my room. I want you to walk right behind me, and if you don't I'll slit her throat." Nick says as he presses the knife against Mommy's skin.

"I won't move." I say, hoping he'll put the knife away.

"Good." Nick growls before putting the knife back in his pocket.

He grabs my mommy's hands, and holds them behind her back. He shoves Mommy out the door, and I follow them.

I've never been outside of my room, and so this is frightening. All I can see is a long hallway, and nothing else. Nick finally stops in front of a door, and opens it before pushing me and Mommy inside.

To my surprise, there is no pit of fire surrounded by dragons. It's just another room. Why does Mommy hate coming here so much?

"Go lay down Aria." Nick tells her sternly.

Mommy nods, before running over to the big bed in the center of the room. Nick pins my hands behind my back, just like he did to Mommy, and shoves me into a dark closet.

I want to leave, but if I move he'll hurt Mommy. I hate the dark, so I open the closet a little. It's open enough for me to see my mommy, but it's not open enough for Nick to notice.

"Nick, please don't do this with Gregory a few feet away." I hear Mommy whisper.

"Shut up Aria!" Nick screams before slapping Mommy's face.

Hitting isn't nice! Nick needs to learn some manners!

After Mommy's cries die down, Nick takes off all his clothes. I look at his body and realize that he has a penis too! His is different from mine though. It's bigger, and it's hairy like Mommy's vagina. It sticks up like mine does in the morning, so he probably has to pee.

Next, Nick takes off all Mommy's clothes. He lays down on top of Mommy, which probably hurts her since she's so small.

Nick starts to move up and down, until he makes loud noise and gets off Mommy.

"Again." I hear him say as he climbs back on top of her.

He keeps going and going, and I don't think he'll ever stop. Mommy looks like she's hurting, and I don't like this one bit. I shut the closet door so I won't have to watch anymore. I close my eyes, and soon I'm sound asleep.

Line Break

When I wake up, I'm in the warm bed that I share with Mommy. She's hovering over me, with tears streaming down her face.

"Hey baby." Mommy says as she pulls me close to her.

"How did I get here?" I ask Mommy with a tired yawn.

"I carried you." Mommy says before kissing my forehead.

I nod and cuddle close to her. I want to forget about everything that happened earlier today, and let Mommy hold me in her arms.

"Did you see anything Gregory?" Mommy asks me softly.

I know it isn't nice to lie to Mommy, but the truth will make her sad. I'll lie to make her happy, just like she does for me.

"No Mommy." I say as I shake my head.

"Thank goodness." Mommy says in relief.

"He hurt you, didn't he." I ask as tears begin to form in my eyes.

Mommy sighs, before giving me a small nod.

I hate Nick, but I also hate myself. I wish I was brave the superheroes in my books. I could have stopped Nick, and rescued Mommy.

"I'm sorry." I tell her truthfully.

"It's not your fault honey." Mommy mutters before kissing my forehead softly.

Even if I was brave like a superhero, I'm not big like Nick is. How would I have gotten him off Mommy? Even if I did get him off, what would I do the next time he took Mommy away?

"Mommy, I can't save you." I say before I burst into tears.

"What are you talking about?" Mommy asks with confusion in her voice.

"I can't keep Nick from hurting you." I say through my heavy sobs.

Mommy responds by cradling me in her arms like she used to do when I was a baby.

"Gregory, you've saved me in more ways than you know." Mommy whispers into my ear.

"How?" I ask her curiously.

"If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be here." Mommy says as she wipes away some of my tears.

Where would she be? Playing on the beach with Ezra? Somewhere far away from Nick?

"Mommy, can I ask you a question?" I ask her softly.

"Anything baby." Mommy says with a nod.

"I can't always protect you, can I?" I ask her through my tears.

Mommy sighs before shaking her head slowly.

"Don't worry about that Gregory, it's not your job to protect me." Mommy tells me seriously.

"So whose job is it?" I ask her.

Mommy doesn't answer my question, so I decide to change the subject.

"Mommy, can I ask you one more question?" I ask her hopefully.

Mommy nods, and stares into my blue eyes.

"Is period a homophone?" I ask her curiously.

For some reason, Mommy starts to laugh really hard. She laughs so hard that she starts to cry again.

"I love you so much Gregory." Mommy says as she kisses my forehead.

"I love you too Mommy!" I say, and I mean it.

**What did you think of this chapter? Did you like hearing Gregory's POV? Do you agree with Aria's decision to keep so many secrets about why they're in the room? The next chapter is interesting because you learn more about what happened to Aria right after the kidnapping occurred. I'll update on Wednesday if I get forty reviews, or on Friday. Thanks so much for reading, and I hope you're enjoying the story! **


	8. The Truth Comes Out

**One Month Later**

My hazel eyes flutter open when a wave of nausea rushes through my body. I get out of bed and sprint to the bathroom, where I begin to vomit continuously. By the time I'm finished, salty tears are streaming down my face.

Everyday this week, stomach sickness has woken me up. I wouldn't think anything of it, except I'm over a week late. This is exactly how I felt during the early stages of my first pregnancy, and I have a feeling I'm experiencing a second.

I sigh before leaving the bathroom and crawling into my warm bed. To my dismay, the alarm clock on the nightstand says it's only three-thirty. Gregory won't wake up until six, and I don't think I'll be able to fall back asleep.

I take Ezra's book and my flashlight off the nightstand. Ever since Nick bought it for me, the book has offered me a source of hope and comfort. Sometimes I spend hours staring at the small picture of Ezra on the back corner, and other times I reread my favorite passages. I flip to a random page, and I start reading.

_I hurt her; the most important person in my life. I know she's mad at me, but I need to see her. I need to set things right, before I lose her for good. _

_That's when I see her. She's sitting in her car, and tears are streaming down her beautiful face. Even when she's crying, she looks like an angel._

_I finally build up the courage to open the door to her car, and slip into the passenger's seat. As soon as she sees me, her eyes grow wide with furry. If looks could kill, I'd be dead._

_"What do you want Ezra?" She asks as she crosses her arms over her chest._

_"I just got into a fight with my girlfriend, so I came here to talk to my best friend about it. That's when I realized... They're both you Aria." I say softly._

By the time I finish reading the passage, tears are streaming down my face. Not only do I miss my husband, I miss my best fried too. I really need a hug from Ezra, and I wish he were here to help me make sense of this mess.

"Don't hurt her!" I hear a little voice say.

I glance at Gregory, who is tossing and turning in his sleep. Tears are streaming down his little face, and I think he's having a nightmare.

"Sh-sh, it's just a dream baby." I murmur as I pull him close to me.

Less than a second later, Gregory's blue eyes flutter open. He buries his face into my chest as he begins to cry hysterically.

"You're okay honey, please don't cry." I say trying to sooth him.

"I-I h-had a-a s-scary d-d-dream." Gregory says through his heavy sobs.

"I know baby, I know." I say as I rub his back gently.

"He was hurting you Mommy, and I couldn't help." Gregory says with a sniffle.

"I'm safe sweetheart, don't you worry." I say trying to convince him and myself.

Gregory nods before cuddling close to me. I hold the little boy in my arms, and hum softly into his ear.

"I don't want to go back to sleep Momma." Gregory tells me suddenly.

"I don't either." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Will you tell me a story about him?" Gregory asks me hopefully.

Ever since Gregory found out that Ezra is his father, he's asked me all sorts of questions about him. He loves when I tell stories about Ezra, and talking about my husband surprisingly makes me happy.

"What kind or story would you like to hear?" I ask the boy curiously.

"One with a happy ending." He says with a sniffle.

I think for a minute, before coming up with the perfect story to tell my son.

"On the night of our first wedding anniversary, your father took me to dinner and a Broadway show..." I start to say.

"What's Broadway?" Gregory asks interrupting me.

"It's a place in New York where people go to watch plays." I tell him.

"What's New York?" Gregory asks with a puzzled expression on his face.

"New York is famous city. Your daddy took me there for vacation to celebrate our anniversary." I say as I begin to recollect the details of the wonderful trip.

"Mommy, where did you and Daddy live?" Gregory asks as he cuddles close to me.

Tears begin to form in my eyes as I remember the small and cozy home that belonged to me and Ezra. We bought the house a month before our wedding, and we both agreed that it was the perfect place to raise a family. The house was in an amazing neighborhood in the suburbs of Rosewood, and it was walking distance from Hollis.

It wasn't the most luxurious home on the planet, but it was so...us. Ezra hung some of the pictures I painted in our living room, and there was definitely an artsy feel to the place. Our house wasn't huge either, but we decided it was big enough for us and the two children we were suppose to have.

"Daddy and I lived in a house in Rosewood Pennsylvania." I say as I avoid looking into my son's eyes.

"Does Daddy still live there?" Gregory asks me.

Where does Ezra live? Did he ever move out of our house? I sure hope not, because the thought of another family living there makes me sick. Plus, I had already painted Gregory's nursery, and I hope he'll have a room to sleep in if we ever escape from this prison.

"I don't know sweetheart." I tell the boy truthfully.

"Where do we live?" Gregory asks as he looks around our room.

The scariest part of being locked up, is that I have no idea where I am. Nick drugged me before he took me here, so I don't even know how far I am from Rosewood. For all I know, I could be in some remote town in Asia. An even weirder though is that maybe I'm only a few miles away from Ezra.

"I don't know the answer to that question either." I tell my son.

"You never answer any of my questions." Gregory mutters.

"I'm sorry, but I don't have any of the answers." I tell him apologetically.

"Liar! Tell me where Daddy is, and why he isn't here with us." Gregory says as tears of anger and frustration begin to stream down his face.

This is the moment I've dreaded for five and a half years. Gregory's questions are getting harder and harder to answer, and it's time to tell him the truth about why we're here.

This is probably going to be the hardest thing I'll ever have to do. I'll have to relive all the suffering that I've endured, and I'll have to ruin my baby's innocence. Gregory is only five years-old, and he has to learn that the man who lives next door hurt his mommy, and took him away from his Daddy.

I let out a breathy sigh before asking Gregory a question that will change his life forever.

"Are you ready to hear the truth baby?" I ask through my tears.

Gregory nods, and stares up at me with his big blue eyes.

"Five and a half years ago, I was living the perfect life. I was madly in love with your father, I had a stable career, and I was pregnant with you. One day while Daddy was at work, I decided to go for a walk at the park near our house. I was about to head home when Nick grabbed me by the waist, and forced me to swallow a pill..." I start to say.

"Mommy..." Gregory interrupts.

"No, let me finish. When I woke up I was handcuffed to our bed. I started to cry, and Nick came and laid down next to me. At first I thought this was about money, and that as soon as a ransom was paid, I'd be back home with your father. Unfortunately, that wasn't the case. I found out that Nick wanted me as a lover, and that he'd never give me up voluntarily. Nick was so possessive over me, that he kept me tied up for over a month. Even after he untied me, I felt restrained. I was never allowed out of this room, and I wasn't even allowed to say your father's name." I say before I begin to sob hysterically.

"Nick kidsnatched you?" Gregory asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.

"Kidnapped me, and yes." I say before wrapping my arms around Gregory and hugging him so tightly that I doubt he can breath.

"Mommy, we have to run away." Gregory says with fear in his voice.

"Gregory, I've tried everything. The night Nick untied me, he slept in our room. I tried to strangle him while he was asleep, but I wasn't strong enough. Nick laughed at my pathetic attempt to kill him, and told me that if he died, so would I. Nick uses his thumb print to lock and unlock the door, so there is no way out. The only time I'm ever allowed to leave this room is when Nick takes me to his. As you saw the other day, Nick keeps a knife by him when he's manhandling me. If I ever tried to make a run for it, he'd kill me on the spot. Worst of all, Nick always tell me that if try to escape, he'll kill you." I say in a barely audible whisper.

Gregory stares up at me, and tears are streaming down his little face.

"For the first few months, I was like a zombie. I spent all day in bed, and I was gone all the time." I tell my son softly.

"What changed?" Gregory asks me with a sniffle.

"I gave birth to you. I held you in my arms for the first time, and I knew I had to get my life together for your sake. You were so beautiful to me Gregory, and you still are." I say before kissing his forehead lovingly.

"Mommy, are we ever going to go back to Daddy?" Gregory asks me through his tears.

"Yes baby boy, someone will find us eventually." I say trying to convince him and myself.

"How will someone find us? Nobody knows where we are." Gregory reminds me.

"Baby..." I start to say.

"I want to leave Mommy! Nick is evil, and he could hurt us." Gregory says as he begins to cry even harder if that's humanly possible.

"Gregory look at me!" I exclaim.

Gregory's crying starts to die down, and he stares into my hazel eyes.

"Do you remember the night that I told you about monsters?" I ask the boy curiously.

"Yes Momma." Gregory says with a nod.

"Nick is a monster. He is a horrible person, and he's taken away so much from both of us. As much as I'd like to change the past, I can't. We're stuck here until so some rescues us, and there isn't anything I can do to change that. The only thing I can promise you, is that I won't let Nick take anything else from you. I'll protect you Gregory, and I won't let him harm you." I say as I cradle the five year-old in my arms.

"I'm so sorry Mommy." Gregory tells me softy.

"Don't be sorry, you saved my life Gregory. I'd have given up years ago if it hadn't been for you. You're my little angel, and my light at the end of the tunnel." I say before kissing my son repeatedly.

"You're my angel too Mommy." The boy tells me.

A shiver goes through my spine as I remember the child I might be carrying. I think now is a good time to tell Gregory about his new brother or sister.

"Honey, do you remember when I told you that I might be having another baby?" I ask him suddenly.

Gregory nods his head in response.

"Well, I think you're going to have a little brother or sister very soon." I tell the boy nervously.

To my surprise, Gregory gives me a massive smile and wraps his little arms around me.

"So you're not upset?" I ask the boy shocked.

"Why would I be upset? You're the best mommy in the world, and ever baby should have you as their mommy." Gregory tells me.

"Thank you sweetheart, you have no idea how much that means to me." I say as more tears begin to spill out of my eyes.

"I hope the baby is a girl, so she'll look just like you!" Gregory exclaims.

Ezra said the same thing when we first found out I was pregnant with Gregory. All the sudden, I feel sick to my stomach.

"Gregory, will you promise me something?" I ask the boy seriously.

"Anything Mommy." Gregory says with a nod.

"If the baby is a girl, promise me you'll always protect her." I say through my tears.

"I promise I'll protect her, and keep her safe from monsters like Nick." Gregory tells me gently.

All I can think about is how much Gregory reminds me of his father, and how proud Ezra would be of our son.

"You're just like your Daddy." I say with a slight smile.

"I am?" Gregory asks me skeptically.

"Yes, you both have the biggest hearts I've ever seen." I tell Gregory truthfully.

**What did you think? Aria opened up to Gregory, and she's pregnant! I know most of you are probably upset about the new baby, but Aria's pregnancy is absolutely critical to the story. Thank you all so much for reading and for your continued support! Please leave a review and tell me what you thought of this chapter, or the direction I'm going with this story. Thanks again :) **


	9. Outside

**Three Months Later**

Aria's POV

_I lay on my bed with my legs spread apart, and pain begins to overtake my body. I let out a shrill scream, as I begin to push with all my might. _

_I have to get it out. If I don't, the child inside my womb will kill me. _

_"Get out, get out!" I scream in agony._

_I push one last time, and the pain begins to deteriorate. It's over, it's finally over._

_I look down and gasp when I see Nick laying between my legs. I just gave birth to a monster._

Line Break

My hazel eyes flutter open, and I sigh in relief when I realize it was just a dream. Then I look down at my small baby bump and remember that it's not.

In about five months, I'll give birth to Nick's child. The man kidnapped and raped me multiple times, and now I'm having his baby. For a minute, I almost hate the child that I'm carrying. Could I really hate my child?

No, my heart screams.

Yes, my head screams.

I keep trying to remind myself that it's not the baby's fault Nick is a monster. The child I'm carrying is an innocent human life, and I should cherish and love the baby just like I do with Gregory.

I glance over at the five year-old sleeping next to me. Even if I don't end up hating the baby, could I ever really love him or her like I love Gregory?

Gregory who used to kick in my womb for hours when I felt scared and alone. Gregory who wakes me up and holds my hand every time I cry in my sleep. Gregory who is the spitting image of his father, and the love of my life.

A terrible thought crosses my distraught mind. What if this baby is the spitting image of Nick? Or even worse, what if I have a little boy who grows up to be just like Nick? I know that the chances of that happening are improbable, but I once read that the need to sexually abuse someone is a genetic trait.

If I raise the baby right, I'm sure I can prevent him from becoming like his father. But Nick made it very clear that he wants to be part of this baby's life. Will he turn his own child into a monster?

It's obvious that Nick wants a boy. He told me the other night that he wants to name the child after himself. What will he do if the baby is a girl?

The baby CAN'T be a girl. What will happen if she turns into a woman before we're rescued, and Nick decides to abuse her? Then again, I know that Nick won't wait for the baby to turn into a woman before he starts to hurt her. I know first hand that Nick isn't above molesting a child.

_Flash Back_

_I sit on the couch and breast-feed my two year-old son Gregory. He's been fussy all day, and I want to finish nursing him before Nick gets home from work. _

_"I love you so much sweetheart." I whisper to him._

_Gregory continues to suck on my nipple, and stare up at me with his beautiful blue eyes. I smile at the toddler, and think about how perfect he is. _

_A startled gasp escapes from my lips when the door to our room creeks open. Nick is standing in the doorway, with a Victoria's Secret bag in his hands. _

_"Aria, I want you to dress up for me tonight. Go and take a long bath, and then put on the lingerie that I bought for you." Nick says as he shoves the bag into my hands. _

_I absolutely hate dressing up for Nick. It's so degrading, and it makes me feel like his slave. But there isn't anything I can do or say to change his ways, so I put Gregory on our bed before rushing into the bathroom. _

_I'm sitting in the bathtub when I hear Gregory crying softly. _

_"Momma!" I hear his little voice call out to me._

_I don't even take the time to get dressed. I sprint out of the bathroom in a towel, and gasp at the sight in front of me._

_Gregory is laying on the bed naked, and Nick has his hand on my son's genitals. Absolute rage begins to fill my body, and I don't think I've ever been so livid in my life._

_"What the Hell do you think you're doing?" I scream as I sprint over to Nick. _

_"I was um..." Nick starts to say._

_"Don't you ever touch him like that! I swear to God I'll kill you with my bare hands, and God knows I'm not above murder." I scream at the top of my lungs._

_"What did you just say?" Nick growls._

_"I said I'll kill you. I'll fucking kill you, and I won't lose a minute of sleep over it." I say as tears of anger begin to stream down my face._

_Nick responds by pushing me to the ground, and hitting me multiple times. I try to fight him off, but I'm not strong enough._

_"You're a monster, and you deserve to rot in Hell!" I say as I spit on his face._

_Nick laughs before wrapping his rough hands around my neck, and squeezing. I try to fill my lungs with air, but I'm unsuccessful. Why did I open my big mouth? He's going to kill me! _

_After a few minutes of Nick strangling me, he finally lets go of my neck. I cough violently as I struggle to catch my breath._

_"I could kill you and your little prince in an instant, so remember that next time you decide to mouth off." Nick says before punching me one last time, and storming out of the room._

_I glance over at Gregory, who has tears streaming down his little face. I'll get back at Nick if it's the last thing I do._

_"Momma." The little boy mutters through his tears. _

_"Sh-sh, I'm here baby. Don't you cry." I say before rushing over to the two year-old and cradling him in my arms._

_"Mommy got a boo-boo." Gregory says through his heavy sobs. _

_"I'm fine honey." I assure him._

_Gregory nods, and stares up at me with a terrified expression on his face._

_"Gregory, did Nick hurt you? Has he ever touched you down there before?" I ask my son seriously._

_Gregory doesn't respond, he just continues to cry. _

_How could I be so stupid? Why did I ever leave my defenseless two year-old alone with that monster? I always thought that if I did everything Nick asked me to do, he'd leave Gregory alone. I should have know better._

_ I shutter when I remember finding a pair of Gregory's underwear underneath his pillow last week. I told myself that Gregory put them there, and forgot that it ever happened. I shouldn't have been so quick to forget. _

_"If he ever does that to you again, I want you to scream and cry for me, just like you did today. I'll kill him Gregory, I promise I will." I say as tears begin to pour out of my eyes._

_"No kill Mommy, kill is bad." Gregory tells me softly._

_"But Gregory, he's killing me a little everyday." I mutter._

End of Flashback

I think about that evening almost everyday. What if Gregory hadn't cried for me? Nick could have kept molesting him, and I never would have known.

I always wonder how and when it started. I try to tell myself what happened that night was a one time thing, and Nick hadn't hurt Gregory before. But what if it had gone on since Gregory was a baby?

Does Gregory remember what Nick did to him? What if he does, and it haunts him for the rest of his life? What if he ends up hating me for letting Nick touch him?

All the sudden I feel sick. I stare at my sleeping son, and burst into tears.

"I'm so sorry Gregory, Mommy's sorry." I whisper to him.

At that moment, absolute pain surges through my body. My stomach begins to cramp up, and my lower back aches immensely. I let out a shrill scream, and I clutch my baby bump in agony.

Gregory's eyes shoot open, and he stares at me with a concerned expression on his face,

"Mommy, are you okay?" He asks me gently.

I don't have the strength to respond, so I continue to scream and moan.

"You're bleeding!" Gregory exclaims.

I look down and gasp when I see a pool of blood between my legs. I'm having a miscarriage. My baby is dying, and it's my fault. I didn't protect the baby, just like I didn't protect Gregory.

I hate myself.

Gregory's POV

Mommy won't stop screaming. She's bleeding a lot, and I'm staring to get worried.

"Mommy what's going on?" I ask her softly.

Mommy doesn't respond.

"I'm scared." I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

"Don't worry about me Gregory." Mommy mutters.

Mommy always tells me not to worry about her, but I can't help it. She looks like she's hurting a lot, and that makes me sad. What if she's dying? What would I do without Mommy?

Nick enters our room, and he looks very angry. I don't like when Nick is angry, because he always ends up hurting Mommy.

"Why the Hell are you screaming? You woke me up you stupid little bitch!" Nick screams at my mommy.

"N-Nick, I'm having a miscarriage. You need to take me to the hospital." Mommy says through her tears.

"Dammit Aria! I knew you weren't excited about this baby! Now my son is dead, and it's all your fault." Nick growls as he sprints over to Mommy.

"Please just take me to a hospital, it's not my fault." Mommy whimpers.

"Do you think I'm stupid Aria? You're not leaving this room until the day I die." Nick says as he punches Mommy's face.

"I'm in so much pain, please help me." Mommy says as she starts to cry even harder.

"How do you think my child feels? He's dead because of you Aria, and I don't care if you're in pain. Hell, I don't care about you at all. Maybe it's time I got rid of you for good." Nick says before kicking Mommy's chest over and over again.

"Stop it!" I beg.

Nick doesn't stop. He keeps hitting and hitting, and Mommy is crying a lot.

I've seen Nick get mad before, but never like this. He looks like he could kill Mommy, and I think that's what he's trying to do.

I have to stop him. I have to be Mommy's superhero, and save her from the evil monster. But what can I do?

That's when I realize that Nick left the door open. I can escape from the room and find my daddy. He'll stop Nick, and me and Mommy will live happily ever after.

I take a deep breath before running out of the room as fast as I can. Nick is so busy hurting Mommy that he doesn't even realize I left.

I run through a big hallway, but for some reason I don't see any people. I'm about to go back to the room, when a phone attached to the wall catches my attention. I've only seen phones on TV, but I know you use them to call people.

Who do I call? I don't know if Daddy has a phone, or how to call him. I remember that when something bad happens in one of my books, someone calls 911.

I state at the phone for a minute, before dialing the three numbers.

"This is 911 what's your emergency?" A woman asks.

"I need you to send a superhero to my room!" I tell her.

"This isn't a joke kid, you're only suppose to dial 911 when there's an emergency." She tells me angrily.

"But it is an emergency! He's hurting mommy!" I say before I burst into tears.

"Where do you live? We'll send people over right away." The woman tells me gently.

"I live in a room with my mommy." I say through my tears.

"Where is your room?" The woman asks me urgently.

"I don't know! Nick kidsnatched my Mommy when I was in her tummy, and we don't know where our room is. Please find us and send a superhero! Nick says he's going to kill her." I say with a sniffle.

"Honey, I need you to stay calm. Stay where you are and don't move. We'll send a whole team of superheroes to help you and your mommy." She says to me.

"How will you find us?" I ask her curiously.

"We can track where you are from the call. Just stay on the line with me." the woman says to me.

"Please hurry, I don't know what I'd do without Mommy." I say as I begin to cry even harder.

**What did you think? Were you surprised about what Nick did to Gregory when he was a toddler? I planned that from the begging, and I was going to take it out because it's so sad, but I didn't want to change the course of my story. Most importantly, Gregory escaped! Almost. I told you that the pregnancy was critical. Will the police get to them before it's to late? Please review and tell me your thoughts. Thank for reading :)**


	10. Ezra's World

Ezra's POV

Aria_._

Her lyrical name is always the first word that pops into my brain when I wake up in the morning, and the last word I hear before falling into a deep slumber every night.

I still can't believe it's been five years. Five years since I came home from work to find our small house empty. Five years since the police found her underwear and purse laying in the middle of the local park. Five years since I lost the love of my life, and the son that I never got to hold.

The first six months without Aria were hell. I refused to get out of bed, go to work, or even take a shower. It got so bad that my mom insisted upon moving in with me until I could "function properly."

The four months my mother spent living with me weren't nearly as bad I thought they'd be. She did all the cooking and cleaning around the house, and she listened to me when I talked to her about the pain I was feeling. Best of all, she never said an ill word about Aria.

If it weren't for the way my mother treated Aria while she was still here, I might have been able to forgive Dianne for all the miseries she caused me as a young man. But after what happened to my wife, I couldn't find it in myself to forgive the woman who constantly put her down. That's why after four months of her breathing down my throat, I kicked Dianne out.

Hardy tried to help me too. After Aria had been missing for a year, he tried hooking me up with some of his lady friends, even though I made it perfectly clear that I didn't want to see anyone who wasn't Aria.

The police have a theory about what happened to her that evening. They think that some bastard raped and murdered Aria only a few miles from our home. I don't know if they're right, but I do know that until they bring her home in a body bag, I'm not going to give up on Aria.

Every time Hardy introduced me to one of his hot friends, I told him this. However, both him and my therapist told me that I had to move on, so that's what I did.

I didn't move on by forgiving my mother for all her wrong doings, or by sleeping with another woman. No. I moved on by absorbing myself in my writing.

I quit my job as an English professor, disconnected myself from the outside world, and bought myself a brand new laptop.

I spend hours everyday hovering over the computer screen, and pouring my emotions into my work. In the past five years, I've published six novels, four of which have been number one on the New York Time's Best Seller List.

My novels are all about the same person; Aria. Even though she's not physically here with me, writing about her helps me pretend like she is. I live in a fantasy world, and Aria is the center of it.

Every night I lay in bed and think of different scenarios in my head. Sometimes I think about taking my son to Disney World with Aria, and other times I think about taking her to Europe for our anniversary. If I pretend hard enough, I can fool myself into thinking that these fantasies are realities.

Even though I've been awake for hours, I don't want to get out of bed. Every time I go into the kitchen and Aria isn't there humming while she makes eggs, my heart breaks.

But I really need a drink...

Luckily, I installed a liquor cabinet in my bedroom so I don't have to go into the kitchen first thing every morning. I crawl out of bed and grab a bottle of straight vodka. I sip on it eagerly, and enjoy the cool drink.

One thing I forgot to mention is that when I'm not sleeping or writing, I'm drinking. A lot of people think I have a problem, and once a month when Aria's mom and dad come over for an awkward family dinner, they try to convince me to check into a rehabilitation facility.

But what do they know? I can stop anytime I want.

Who cares that I've been hospitalized seven times this year for alcohol poisoning? Does it really matter that every bartender in Rosewood knows my name, and my drink of preference? I don't care that the DUI I got three months ago is on my permanent record, I'm self-employed anyways.

I'm about half way done with my first drink when my doorbell begins to ring. Who could that be? The only visitors I get during the day are the Mormon missionaries who give me pamphlets, and tell me that if I let him, Jesus can save me. But they don't come until after three o'clock, and it's not even noon yet.

I grumble before throwing on a pair of dirty pants and walking downstairs. I open the door and gasp when I see a police man standing on my porch. Did he find out about the bar I broke into last month? I'm so screwed!

"Are you Ezra Fitz?" The police man asks me gently.

"That's me." I say with a nervous nod.

"I'm Officer Stabler, do you mind if I come in?" He asks me.

I give the man a small nod before leading him into the living room. Stabler doesn't seem angry, and he hasn't arrested me yet, so I think I'm in the clear.

"Mr. Fitz, we found your wife this morning." The man blurts out suddenly.

My heart sinks in my chest, this is the day I've dreaded for five years. I'll have to go to the hospital and confirm that the body they found in a lake or ditch is my wife, and I'll have to admit to myself that she's really gone.

"Oh God." I say before I burst into tears.

I'm crying so hard that I don't think I'll ever be able to stop, or breath again.

"Aria and your son were taken to a hospital about an hour outside Rosewood this morning. She's in critical condition, but the doctors think she'll survive." The police man tells me.

"What the Hell are you talking about? Is this some kind of joke?" I ask as try to comprehend the situation.

"No Sir. We found out that Aria was kidnapped by a man named Nicholas Dias, and he held her and your son hostage in a room for five years. Somehow the little boy escaped from the room, and called the police. He told us that a man was hurting his Mommy, and that Nick wanted to kill her. The police traced the call to Nicholas's house, and we searched it until we found him beating your wife. Aria hasn't woken up yet, and the boy hasn't said a word since we rescued him, so we don't know all the details yet." The police man says as he rests a hand on my shoulder.

For the first time in five years, I feel like I can breathe. My Aria is alive, and so is our son. I didn't think it was possible. I begin to cry even harder, and thank The Lord that they're okay.

But it doesn't take long for anger to replace my joy and relief. That son of a bitch hurt my girl, and took her and my son away from me. I don't even want to think about what he did to Aria during the five years he held her captive.

"Where is he? I'm going to kill him with my bare hands." I growl furiously.

"No you aren't, we took Mr. Dias into custody this morning. Once the judge in charge of Aria's case finds him guilty, that man won't ever step outside of his prison cell." The officer assures me.

That's not good enough. I want that man dead, and I always get what I want. But I can't focus on him now, I need to focus on Aria, and our little boy.

"Can I see her?" I ask the officer through my heavy sobs.

"Like I said before, your wife is in critical condition. It could be hours before you're allowed to see her, but I'll give you a ride to the hospital. I'm sure you're anxious to meet your son." The officer says with a slight smile.

"Thank you Sir." I mutter before sprinting out of the house.

Line Break

As soon as I set foot in the hospital, several doctors swarm around me.

"Where is she?" I ask the doctors.

The doctors all share uncomfortable looks, and one of them finally speaks up.

"She's still in ICU. You aren't allowed to see her yet, but your son is in the pediatrics section of the hospital, and I'm sure you'd like to see him." The older man tells me.

I nod, and he leads me to a room on the opposite side of the hospital. The man opens the door, and I see a little boy sitting on the examination table, crying hysterically.

"He hasn't said a word since we brought him in here. All he's been doing is crying for his mother." The man says as he gestures towards the kid.

This boy is definitely my son. He has my striking blue eyes, and my dark curls. To my delight, he inherited Aria's little nose. As I take in my son's appearance, I realize that I love him infinitely.

Not only is he my child, he's Aria's too. She raised him, and I'm sure he's perfect, just like his beautiful mother. He saved Aria's life by escaping from the room, and calling the police. I'll never be able to repay him for that.

The little boy looks up at me, and his eyes grow wide with shock as we make eye-contact.

"Daddy?" He says in a barely audible whisper.

**They're finally out of the room! I know a lot of you have been waiting for Ezra's POV for a while, so I hope you enjoyed this! The reason I didn't write about him earlier was because I wanted you to feel like you were stuck in the room with Aria, unsure of anything relating to the outside world. **

**What did you think? Did this version of Ezra surprise you? Do you think he's fit to take care of Aria and Gregory? What will he say to Gregory, and how will he react to having a son? A lot of you have asked if this story is ending soon since Aria and Ezra are about to be reunited, and I can say that it's not. The couple still has a lot of challenges to overcome, and so does Gregory. ****Thank you all so much for reading and for your continued support! Please leave a review and tell me what you though, and have a great day :)**

******-Erin **


	11. Meeting Gregory

Ezra's POV

A million thoughts begin to race through my head as I stare at the boy in front of me. How on Earth does he know I'm his father? Did Aria tell him about me?

"Yes, I'm right here little guy." I say before rushing over to the boy and wrapping my arms around him.

I try to keep the tears from falling, but I'm unsuccessful. Here I am, hugging the son that I thought I lost. I can't get over how undeniably perfect he is, and I can't believe I helped bring something so precious into this world.

"You're really my daddy?" The boy asks through his tears.

"Yes, I'm really your daddy. How did you know?" I ask as I pull him even closer to me.

"Mommy has your book in our room. She reads it every night, and I've seen the picture of you on the back. Your face looks harrier in person." He says with a sniffle.

I silently curse myself for not shaving this week. I'm meeting my son for the first time, and I probably look like a total slob. To make matters worse, I haven't washed the pants I'm wearing since God knows when.

"Daddy, Mommy says you love her very much." He says softly.

"Buddy, I love your mother more than anything in the world." I tell my son truthfully.

"She says you love me too. Is that true?" The boy asks as he stares into my blue eyes.

If only I had the words to describe how much I love the little boy siting in front of me. I don't, so I'll have to explain the best I can.

"I have loved you since the day I found out Aria was pregnant with you. My heart broke into a million pieces when she didn't come home the night that monster took her. I thought I'd never see either of you again, and now here you are. You're here, and you're so beautiful..." I say before I burst into tears.

He stares at me with an uncomfortable expression on his face. The poor kid probably doesn't know how to deal with the grown man sobbing in front of him.

"I am so sorry that I haven't been there for you. I've missed a lot, but I promise I'll make it up to you. And I hope that one day you'll find a way to love me, just like you love your mommy." I say through my tears.

"Gregory." The boy says suddenly.

"Huh?" I asked with a confused expression on my face.

"My name is Gregory, not Riley like you called me in your book." He tells me seriously.

Aria named him Gregory? I thought she hated that name! That's when it hits me, she named him Gregory because of me.

"Your mother wanted to name you Riley..." I start to say.

"I know, she told me the story." Gregory interrupts.

So Aria told him stories about me? What else did they do during the five years they spend in the room? More importantly, what did that monster do to them? The thought of that man hurting Aria is enough to make me want to puke, but what if he hurt my child too?

"Gregory did Nick ever hurt you? Did he ever do anything that made you feel scared or uncomfortable?" I ask my son seriously.

Gregory thinks for a minute before shaking his head slowly.

"He hurt Mommy a lot though. Every time Nick got mad, he'd hit and kick her. At night he took Mommy out of our room, and brought her to his. Mommy was always sad after she came back, sometimes she cried and cried." Gregory says as tears begin to spill out of his eyes.

I can literally feel my heart breaking in my chest. Aria was always so delicate...so fragile. I can't stand the idea of that man hurting her, especially in a sexual way. All of the sudden, I have the strong urge to throw up.

"Promise me he never did anything to you Gregory." I say as I stare into his scared little eyes.

"Mommy never let him hurt me. If he even tried she'd yell and scream." Gregory says as I wipe away some of his tears.

"I'm so glad you're okay." I tell him truthfully.

"What about Mommy, is she okay? Nick didn't hurt her to bad, right?" Gregory asks through his tears.

"No, your mother is going to be fine." I say trying to convince him and myself.

At that moment, a man and female doctor enter the room. Gregory wraps his little arms around me, and buries his face in my chest.

"Hello Mr. Fitz. I'm Dr. Johnson, the man who's taking care of your wife. This Dr. Campbell, she's the best family psychologist in Rosewood." The man says as he gestures towards the woman.

"How is Aria? Can I see her?" I ask Dr. Johnson hopefully.

"Not yet, but I promise you'll be able to visit her very soon. Luckily she only has minor head trauma, and four broken ribs. Not to mention several bruises." Dr. Johnson tells me gently.

"Is she afraid? Has she asked for me?" I ask the man anxiously.

"Sir, we have her on sleeping drugs. She hasn't woken up yet." He says as he rests a hand on my shoulder.

"Mr. Fitz, do you mind if I speak with you in private for a moment?" Dr. Campbell asks me softly.

Gregory begins to sob harder, and hug me even tighter.

"Don't leave me Daddy." The boy murmurs.

"My son is in a traumatic state ma'am, and I don't know if I feel comfortable leaving him alone..." I start to say.

"Just walk across the room with me, he'll still be able to see you." The woman says with sternness in her voice.

"Is that okay buddy?" I ask the little boy.

Gregory thinks for a minute before nodding his head in agreement. I put the five year-old down, and walk to other side of the room with Dr. Campbell.

"How do you feel Mr. Fitz? It's been a life-changing day for you, and I'm sure none of this has sunk in quite yet." She tells me softly.

"It feels surreal! I can't believe they're really alive." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.

The woman responds by reaching into her pocket and handing me a handkerchief. Do psychologists carry those around with them or something?

"I know you just heard the news, but do you have a plan yet?" She asks me curiously.

The truth is, I haven't really thought about what's going to happen next. I guess I assumed Aria and Gregory would move in with me, and we'd start making up for all the lost time.

"No, I don't. I'm going to talk to Aria about it, and I'll do whatever she feels comfortable with." I say after thinking about it for a minute.

"Look, I'm sure that the past five and a half years have been hell for you. I bet you missed Aria terribly, and you didn't even know if her and your son were alive. I get that you want to see Aria right away, and pick up right where you left off, but I don't think that's going to happen." Dr. Campbell tells me gently.

"I don't understand..." I start to say.

"In the past five years, your wife has been through a great deal of physical and mental abuse. And according to the medical report, the amount of sexual abuse she's received is extensive." the woman tells me gently.

My poor Aria! I had a feeling that Nick took advantage of her, but hearing someone say it out loud makes me feel sick.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but things between you and your wife aren't going to back to normal right away. It probably won't ever be the same..." She starts to say.

Rage begins to fill my body. How does she have the guts to stand in front of me, and tell me this?

"So you're saying I should give up on her?" I ask Dr. Campbell furiously.

"No, absolutely not! I just don't want you to get your hopes up." She tells me softly.

"Look ma'am, I don't know where you got your information, but you're wrong. I love Aria and she loves me. You don't know her like I do, so don't sit here and tell me that things won't go back to the way they were!" I say as throw my hands into the air.

"I may not know your wife, but I know trauma victims. You don't go through something like that and immediately go back to being the person you used to be." She tells me seriously.

"I know that, but it doesn't mean she's not going to want me. I know her, and..." I start to say.

"That's where you're wrong Mr. Fitz, you don't know her! The Aria who's laying in that hospital bed is completely different from the Aria who you married. We don't know how she's going to feel, or what she's going to say after she wakes up. For all we know, she could be in love with her kidnapper..." Dr. Campbell starts to say.

"In love with her kidnapper? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!" I exclaim.

"It's called Stockholm Syndrome, and it's actually quite common in woman who have been held hostage for long periods of time..." She starts to say.

"I know what Stockholm Syndrome is, I just didn't think that it could apply to Aria." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.

Dr. Campbell sighs before grabbing my hand and giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Look, I'm not saying your wife doesn't love you. I'm not even saying that she won't want to see you after she wakes up. All I'm saying is that things are going to be different." Dr. Campbell tells me gently.

"I've just missed her so much, and I want her back..." I say before I burst into tears.

"I know you do, but you can't rush her into anything. Give her time to heal and recover, and eventually she will. Your unconditional love and support will speed up the process immensely." Dr. Campbell assures me.

"Thank you Doctor, I'm sorry I got defensive earlier..." I start to say.

At that moment, a nurse comes running into the room with a phone in her hands.

"Mr. Fitz, it's your wife's mother. She wants to speak with you." The nurse says as she hands me the phone.

Dr. Campbell gives me a small wave, before walking out of the hospital room so I can talk to my mother in law in private.

"Ella?" I say into the phone.

I hear her muffled sobs immediately after, and I let out a small sigh. Ever since Aria went missing, talking to Ella has been extremely painful. A piece of her died after Aria didn't come home that night, and I know exactly how she feels.

"Ezra, is it really true? My baby is safe?" Ella asks through her heavy sobs.

"Yes. I haven't been able to see her yet, but the doctors told me she's going to be fine." I tell the woman gently.

"Oh Ezra, why would that man put us through something like this? What did he do to my baby girl?" Ella asks me.

How am I suppose to tell Ella that Nick kidnapped Aria to make her his sex slave? I don't want to hurt her, especially after everything she's been through.

"Ella, your grandson is safe too." I say, avoiding her question.

"The police told me! What is he like Ezra?" Ella asks with a sniffle.

"He's absolutely perfect! I just met him and all, but I love him so much, and he reminds me of Aria..." I say before I begin to sob into the phone.

"Please don't cry Ezra." Ella begs.

"You're right, I'm sorry." I say as I wipe away my tears.

"Byron and I checked out of his conference in California, but we're stuck at the airport waiting for the next available flight. If Aria wakes up before we get to the hospital, I need you to tell her that we love her so much, and we'll be there as soon as we can." Ella says in a shaky voice.

"Yes, of course I'll tell her!" I exclaim.

"I called Mike, Hanna, and Emily. They're on their way to the hospital, but I can't get ahold of Spencer..." Ella starts to say.

"Say no more, I'll call her now." I say before hanging up the phone.

After Aria went missing, Spencer lost it. Like me, she wouldn't get out of bed for months, and her husband Toby had to take her to therapy sessions twice a week.

Sometime between all the sleepless nights and therapy sessions, Spencer moved on. She completely cut the cord with Hanna and Emily, and she refuses to see me. I haven't spoken with Spencer in years, but I know she has a son Gregory's age, and she's the best lawyer in Rosewood.

I let out a breathy sigh before pulling out my cell phone and calling Spencer Hastings for the first time in almost five years. To my surprise, she picks up on the second ring.

"Is it true? Emily left me a message, but I haven't called her back yet." Spencer's raspy voice says.

"It's true Spencer. Aria is in the hospital, and her and our son are going to be fine." I tell her softly.

Spencer doesn't respond at first, and surprisingly I don't hear any sobs coming from the other end of the line.

"I'm glad she's okay, and I really hope things work out for you two." Spencer says flatly.

What's that suppose to mean?

"Thanks. I know you're probably still processing, but you should come to the hospital. Aria's going to want to see you after she wakes up." I tell the woman.

Another long silence passes before she finally speaks up.

"I'm sorry Ezra, but I can't see her. Not now, and not ever." Spencer says with no emotion.

"What the hell do you mean? Someone kidnapped her Spencer, and held her hostage for five and a half years! She's hurt, and you're her best friend! You're suppose to be here for her." I scream furiously.

"I can't deal with this." Spencer mutters before ending the call.

**What did you think? Did you like the Aria and Gregory scene? How will Aria react when she sees Ezra? What's going on with Spencer? Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed :) **


	12. Together at Last

Aria's POV

_Where is my baby boy? I'm alone in the room, and I can't find Gregory anywhere. What if something's happened to him? A startled gasp escapes from my lips when Nick enters the room with a sinister smile on his face._

_"What did you do to Gregory?" I scream furiously._

_"Gregory's gone." Nick says with an evil laugh. _

_"What do you mean he's gone?" I ask as tears begin to pour out of my eyes._

_"Gone, just like the child you killed." Nick says before leaving the room as slamming the door behind him. _

_"No! Gregory, oh God no!" I scream in agony._

Line Break

"Aria, wake up." I hear an unfamiliar voice say.

My eyes flutter open, and I gasp when I see a middle-aged man hovering over me. Where am I, and who is this man? More importantly, where is Gregory?

"Who are you?" I ask before I burst into tears.

"I'm Dr. Johnson, and there's absolutely nothing to fear." He tells me gently.

Doctor? Does this mean I'm at a hospital? Slowly the details of last night come flooding back into my brain. I lost Nick's baby, and he beat me until I passed out. That still doesn't explain why I'm in a hospital room, and why Gregory isn't by my side.

What if Nick killed him to get back at me? I'd never forgive myself if something happened to him. Before I can stop myself, I begin to cry out in terror.

"Don't cry, no one is going to hurt you." Dr. Johnson tells me gently.

I want to tell him that someone did hurt me, and he hurt me in the worst way possible.

"Gregory!" I say through my heavy sobs.

"Your son is in the waiting room, he's perfectly fine." Dr. Johnson tells me softly.

Gregory is safe? I have to see him! I need to wrap my arms around him, and smell his coconut shampoo.

"Bring him to me!" I beg.

"Mrs. Fitz..." He starts to say.

Mrs. Fitz? I haven't been called that in years! And that's when it hits me.

I'm not in the room anymore, and neither is Gregory. I'm in a hospital bed, and Nick isn't anywhere in sigh! Could it be true? Have we escaped?

"What's going on?" I ask Dr. Johnson softly.

"This morning the police got a call from Gregory. He told them that a man was hurting his Mommy, and that he kidnapped you during pregnancy. The police traced the number to a man named Nicholas Dias, and they searched his house. They found Nick beating you in a room in the basement, and your son sobbing in the hallway." Dr. Johnson tells me gently.

Oh my God! Gregory saved my life! He got out of the room and called the police, but how?

"How did Gregory escape?" I ask as I try to comprehend the situation.

"Nicholas left the door opened." Dr. Johnson says to me.

We got out, we really got out! I knew someone would find us eventually, but I still can't believe it! Unsure of what to say or do, I begin to cry hysterically.

"Would you like to see your son?" Dr. Johnson asks me.

"Yes, please let me see him!" I say through my heavy sobs.

Dr. Johnson nods before walking out of the room, and coming back with Gregory moments later.

"Mommy!" Gregory says as he runs into my arms.

"Oh my sweet baby boy! I'm so proud of you, and I'm so glad you're safe." I say as I kiss his forehead repeatedly.

Gregory responds by cuddling close to me, and resting his head between the crook of my neck. The familiar feeling of having him in my arms causes all the pain and anxiety to melt away.

"You were right Mommy, he does love me." Gregory says suddenly.

"Who loves you?" I ask with confusion in my voice.

"Daddy." Gregory says with a wide smile.

I gasp at my son's words. Up until this point, I hadn't thought about Ezra or my family. Is he here at the hospital? Obviously since Gregory is talking about him.

I slowly look up, and my mouth drops open when I see Ezra standing in the doorway.

Ezra's POV

Aria notices me for the first time since the doctors brought me and Gregory to see her. Her mouth drops open in shock, and she stares up at me with her big hazel eyes. Aria looks just as beautiful as before, but something is different. Maybe it's all the bruises on her face, or all the machines attached to her, but I don't think so.

That's when it hits me. She looks dead. Almost like someone sucked all the life out of her, and pieced together her remains.

I want nothing more than to run over to Aria, and wrap my arms around her like my life depends on it. I want to tell her I love her, and that everything is going to be okay. But then I remember what Dr. Campbell said about not pushing her, so I decide to let Aria make the first move.

"E-Ezra, is that really you?" Aria asks through her heavy sobs.

"It's me sweetheart, I'm right here." I say as I try to keep the tears from falling.

Aria gives me a small nod, before taking in my appearance. I can tell she's just as uncomfortable as I am, and neither one of us knows what to say.

"D-do you think y-you could come c-closer?" Aria asks as she avoids looking into my eyes.

Joy and relief fills my heart when I realize she wants me close to her.

"Yes, of course I can." I say with an eager nod.

I walk over to Aria's hospital bed, and before I can stop myself, I bend down and kiss her forehead lovingly. Aria stares at me for a minute, before she begins to sob even harder.

Oh my God, I hurt my wife! I pushed her to far, and now she might never trust me again.

"I am so sorry..." I start to say.

"No, I'm just so happy you're here." Aria says as she chokes on her own tears.

That's all it takes for me to break down completely. Aria, the love of my life, is really okay. She's sitting right in front of me, and she's happy to see me! But then I remember that she's hurt. That jerk hurt her, and all I want to do is fix everything, and take all the pain away.

"Aria, my beautiful Aria." I say through my heavy sobs.

A startled gasp escapes from my lips when Aria sits up in her hospital bed and wraps her arms around my neck. I breath in her delicious scent, and pull her even closer to me. I've been dreaming of this moment for years, and it's finally arrived.

"I missed you so much." I whisper into her ear.

"I missed you too." Aria says with a sniffle.

I look over at Gregory and realize that he's crying too. The poor kid has been through so much, and I want to do everything I can to make up for the last five years.

"He's perfect Aria, you did such an amazing job with him." I tell my wife truthfully.

"Everything about him reminded me of you. If it weren't for Gregory, I don't think I would have survived." Aria says as she begins to breathe heavily.

"Aria, I'm so sorry I let him hurt you..." I start to say.

"Don't! This isn't your fault Ezra." Aria says as she begins to shake her head vigorously.

"No, you have to let me finish. I spent everyday of the past five and a half years thinking about you Aria, and now that you're in my arms, I never want to let go of you. I know it's probably going to take you a long time to recover from this, but I'm going to be right by your side the entire time. I'm going to fight for us Aria, and I promise I'll take good care of you and our baby boy..." I say before I begin to sob even harder if that's humanly possible.

"I love you so much Ezra." Aria says through her tears.

"I love you too honey, more than you'll ever know." I say as I stroke her dark hair.

"What happens next?" Aria asks me softly.

"Whatever you want. You can move back to our house, or I'll pay for an apartment for you and Gregory." I tell her gently.

"You kept the house?" Aria asks me in disbelief.

"Yes, I thought about selling it, but I couldn't bear to part with anything that reminded me of you." I tell her truthfully.

"I'd like to move back in with you, if that's okay." Aria tells me shyly.

"Of course it's okay!" I say as a smile spreads across my face.

"E-Ezra, where are my parents?" Aria asks me suddenly.

"They're in California for a conference. They left as soon as they heard you were okay, but they're stuck at the airport." I tell her apologetically.

"What about Mike and the girls?" She asks me.

My throat goes dry. Do I tell her about Spencer? Not yet, she's been through enough today.

"They'll be here." I assure her.

Aria nods before closing her tired eyes, and pulling Gregory close to her.

I still can't believe they're both safe! Just yesterday I thought they were dead, but now they're here with me! I'm going to make Nick pay for hurting my girl, and I'm never going to let Aria or Gregory out of my sight again!

**What did you think? Aria and Ezra were happy to see each other, and it seems like all is well. Will it stay that way? How will Ella and Byron react to seeing their daughter again? What about Mike and the girls? Will Spencer come around right away, or will it take a lot of time? How will Gregory deal with being in the real world, and having to share Aria? Thanks for reading, and please review :)**

**-Erin **


	13. Papa Don't Preach

Aria's POV

I lay in my hospital bed and hold a sleeping Gregory close to me, while Ezra sits besides us and strokes my dark hair. Ever since I woke up a few hours ago, he hasn't let me out of his sight. It's so nice to have Ezra near me, and I feel safer than I have in years.

"E-Ezra?" I ask him softly.

"What is it honey?" He asks me gently.

"D-do you think you could hold me?" I ask as I avoid looking into his beautiful blue eyes.

Ezra nods before planting a soft kiss on my forehead, and laying down next to me on the hospital bed. He pulls me close to him, and the simple yet loving action does enough to make me want to cry.

"Are you okay? If I'm hurting you or you're uncomfortable, please tell me." Ezra whispers to me.

I nod, and tears begin to stream down my face. I missed being in his arms, and the feeling of being close to Ezra again is absolute amazing.

"When I was in the room, I always held Gregory. I wouldn't trade him for the world, but sometimes I wished there was someone to hold me..." I start to ramble.

"Aria..." Ezra says as tears begin to form in his eyes.

"I don't know why I'm telling you this. You were alone too, so I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. Unless you saw other women while I was gone, and if that's the case I understand." I say with a sniffle.

I've wondered if Ezra was seeing someone for years. He's a total catch, so I'm sure if he wanted to he could have. Like I told him, I understand if he moved on, and I wouldn't be angry with him. Maybe I'd feel hurt, but that's selfish of me.

"Aria, I could never be with anyone who isn't you. Hardy would always try to set me up on dates, but I always turned them down. One night I agreed to go out with his friend Cali, and twenty-minutes before I was suppose to pick her up, I called and cancelled. I spent the rest of the night crying, and wishing that you were in my arms." Ezra says as tears begin to stream down his face.

I sigh before reaching towards Ezra's face and wiping away his salty tears. I've seen him cry a few times, but not like this. Ever since I woke up, both of us have been crying on and off. When I'm not crying he's crying, and when he's not crying I'm crying.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't be crying. You were locked in a room for five years, and I should be comforting you." Ezra says in a shaky voice.

"Ezra don't. If you feel like crying, go ahead and cry. I'm sure the past five years were hard on you too." I say as I cuddle close to him.

"Do you remember our honeymoon in Italy? My favorite part of that trip was the hike we took up the mountain." Ezra tells me suddenly.

I nod, and memories of the trip begin to flood into my brain. We had so much fun together, and just thinking about those magical two weeks makes me smile.

"Of course I remember!" I say with a sniffle.

"About half-way up the mountain you got tired, and I had to carry you for the rest of the hike. It was a hard journey, but the view at the top was amazing." Ezra says as he stares into my hazel eyes.

"It really was." I say with a nod.

"I want you to know that I'm going to get you to the top of the mountain Aria. I'll carry you for as long as you need me to, and I won't drop you when the journey gets tough." Ezra says as more tears begin to stream down his face.

"Oh Ezra..." I say before I begin to sob hysterically.

"Sh-sh, don't cry anymore my beautiful girl. I'll take care of everything." Ezra murmurs as he rubs small circles on my back.

"I'll carry you too Ezra. I don't know if I'm strong enough yet, but I'll find a way." I say through my tears.

Ezra responds by pulling me even closer to him, if that's humanly possible. He bends down before humming a familiar tune into my ear.

"Happiness is like the old man told me. Look for it, but you'll never find it all. Let it go, live your life and leave it. Then one day, wake up and she'll be home, home, home, home." Ezra sings to me.

Whenever I was upset or worried about something, Ezra used to sing this song to me. When I found out I was pregnant with Gregory, I used to stay up for hours worrying that I'd lose my baby before I got to hold him. Ezra would hold me, like he's doing now, and sing this song. It always makes me feel secure and comforted.

"Get some rest sweetheart, tomorrow will be an eventful day." Ezra says as he covers my fragile body with the hospital blanket.

I nod, before closing my tired eyes.

"Remember, I'll always carry you Aria." Ezra whispers before I fall into a deep slumber.

Line Break

My hazel eyes flutter open, and my heart nearly beats out of my chest when I see my mother and father hovering over me. Both of them have tears in their eyes, and both of them look broken, just like Ezra.

Oh Aria, you're finally awake! I can't believe my baby is really here..." My mom says as she begins to cry hysterically.

I respond by siting up in the hospital bed and wrapping my arms around my mother, whom I haven't seen in five and a half years. There is something about being in my mother's arms that always calms me down. Even though Gregory and I have a long journey ahead of us, the smell of my mom's perfume reminds me that everything is going to be okay.

My eyes dart over to my father, who is staring at me uncomfortably. I can tell he wants to hug me, but at the same time he doesn't want to do anything that might upset me.

I gently let go of my mother, before enveloping my dad in a hug. He is hesitant at first, but eventually he wraps his arms around me, and begins to cry softly. In all the years I've known my father, I don't think I've ever seen him cry.

"I love you Daddy." I whisper to him.

"I am so sorry Aria. I'm sorry that he hurt you, and I'm going to make sure that bastard gets what he deserves." My dad says through his tears.

"It's not your fault, it's neither one of your faults." I say as my eyes shift over to my mother.

"Everyone just feels terrible that this happened." My mom says with a sniffle.

"I know." I say with a heavy sigh.

A long silence passes between the three of us, and eventually my mom fixes her eyes on the five year-old boy, who is sleeping next to me.

"Is that him? Is that my grandson who saved your life?" My mother asks as she gestures towards Gregory.

"Yes, this is your grandson Gregory Ezra Fitz." I tell my mom and dad.

At the sound of his name, Gregory's blue eyes flutter open. He stares at my mom and dad with a puzzled expression on his face, before begins to cry hysterically.

"Sh-Sh, it's okay baby." I say as I hold Gregory close to me.

"Are we upsetting him?" My father asks me softly.

Every time someone who isn't me or Ezra gets close to Gregory, he goes ballistic. The poor little boy isn't used to being around other people, and my heart breaks every time he cries or hides underneath the covers.

"It's not you, Gregory just isn't used to meeting new people." I mutter as I rub the boy's back gently.

"We can leave..." My mom starts to say.

"No, I really want him to get to know you two. Gregory, the people of front of you are my mommy and daddy. I love them both very much, and I'm sure you'll love them too." I tell my son.

Gregory looks up and Ella and Byron, and his cries begin to die down.

"He's beautiful Aria." My mom says through her tears.

"Isn't he? Gregory reminds me so much of Ezra." I say as salty tears begin to stream down my face.

"He reminds me of you when you were five. Look at that little nose!" My dad says as he gestures towards a puzzled looking Gregory.

Gregory blushes, and I can tell that he's unsure of what to say or do.

"Gregory, I know you don't know us yet, but your grandfather and I love you very much. We're so happy you're safe, and if you ever need anything, you can always come to us." My mom says with a sniffle.

"Thank you." Gregory says softly.

"You're quite the little superhero, aren't you Gregory? Thank you for talking care of my girl while you two were away." My father tells the boy gratefully.

"I'm a superhero?" Gregory asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.

"Yes, you're my superhero." I say before kissing my son's forehead lovingly.

Gregory smiles, before standing up and bouncing on the hospital bed.

"Super Gregory!" He exclaims as he jumps up and down.

My mom and dad begin to laugh hysterically, and a I gently grab Gregory and lay him back down on the bed.

"Honey, remember what I told you about jumping on beds?" I ask my son seriously.

"Oh yeah." Gregory says as his face falls.

"Speaking of beds, you're welcome to stay with us until you can get back on your feet. You and Gregory can stay in your old room, and I can take care of you both during the day." My mom tells me gently.

As much as I want to spend time with my mother and father, I need things to get back to normal. The sooner I get settled in with Ezra, the better.

"Mom, that's so kind of you, but I think I'm going to move back into my old house. Ezra promised to take care of me, and Gregory really needs his father." I tell her apologetically.

My mom and dad both exchange uneasy looks, and I can tell they don't like this idea. Maybe they want me to live with them, since they missed me so much while I was away.

"Ella, I'm not letting our daughter and grandson move in with him! How is Ezra going to take care of them when he can't even take care of himself?" My dad asks through his gritted teeth.

"Byron, not now." My mom says in a warning voice.

What is my father talking about? Why can't Ezra take care of himself?

"Mommy, what's going on?" I ask her softly.

"Now's not a good time to discuss this, just focus on healing sweetheart." My mom says as she runs her fingers through my tangled hair.

"No, if something is wrong with Ezra I need to know!" I exclaim.

"Baby, not in front of Gregory." My mom says in a warning voice.

I glance over at my son, who has a confused expression on his face. I need to get Gregory away, so my parents will tell me what's going on.

"Gregory, why don't you sit on the couch and do your reading?" I ask as I hand Gregory one of the books that a doctor brought in for him.

Gregory nods before grabbing the book and scurrying over to the couch that lies on the opposite end of the hospital room.

"I always knew you were going to make an amazing mother. You were always so maternal, and you took such good care of Mike when he was Gregory's age." My mom says as she wipes away the tears that are streaming down her face.

My mom's words cause a pit to form in my stomach. It's my fault that Gregory spent the first five years of his life locked up, and it's my fault that my baby died. The truth is, I'm a terrible mother, and I don't deserve to have a son who is as wonderful as Gregory.

"So why don't you want me to move in with Ezra?" I ask as I try to keep the tears from falling.

My mom sighs, and she fails to respond to my question.

"Mom, please?" I beg.

"Aria, I don't want you to waste your energy worrying about Ezra. What happened to him isn't your fault, and you need to focus on you and Gregory." My mom tells me seriously.

"What happened to Ezra?" I ask as I begin to raise my voice.

"He's a mess Aria! The man is an alcoholic, and I don't trust him." My dad spits out.

My dad's words cause me to start laughing hysterically. Ezra, an alcoholic? Once when I was in college he yelled at me for getting drunk at a Fraternity Party. I've seen him have a beer after a long day at work, but he's always been a responsible drinker. This has to be a joke, because Ezra would never abuse alcohol!

"That's funny! Now will you please tell me what's going on with my husband?" I ask through my giggles.

A startled gasp escapes from my lips when neither my mother or father cracks a smile. They were serious? But Ezra can't be an alcoholic!

"No, you two are wrong! Ezra is responsible, he'd never let himself go like that!" I exclaim.

"Honey, I know this is hard, but it's the truth. Ezra has been hospitalized for alcohol poisoning seven times this year, and last month we had to pick him up from the police station because he got a DUI." My mom tells me gently.

My mom's words cause me to start crying hysterically. What happened to my Ezra, the one who was responsible, and never put himself or others in danger? This has to be my fault! If I hadn't gotten myself kidnapped, Ezra would be fine!

"Darling please don't cry." My dad says with a heavy sigh.

Absolute anger washes over me. Where were they when Ezra was falling apart before their very eyes? Why didn't they stop Ezra, or get him help?

"How could you?" I spit out angrily,

"Aria..." My mom starts to say.

"How could you just sit there and let him self-destruct? Why didn't you help him!" I scream furiously.

"Aria, Ezra wasn't the only one who suffered while you were away. We were so sure we lost you for good, and it was a struggle for us to get out of bed in the morning. How were we suppose to help Ezra when we were just trying to get through the day?" My dad asks as tears begin to stream down his face.

That's when all the guilt comes rushing back into my body. My poor mother and father had no idea where I was for five years! It's not their fault Ezra is struggling, it's mine.

"I'm so sorry." I say through my tears.

"It's okay honey, all that matters is that you're here now." My mom says with a sniffle.

Ezra's POV

As soon as Ella and Byron got to the hospital, they rushed over to me and begged to see Aria. I showed them to her hospital room, and went to the store so they could have some alone time with their daughter.

I bought Aria chocolates and roses, and I got Gregory a teddy-bear and a book, since Aria told me he loves to read.

Now I'm sitting outside of my wife's hospital room, and praying that Ella or Byron will come out and give me permission to see her and Gregory. I know it's selfish of me to want Aria to myself, but I missed her so much while she was gone, and I never want to spend another moment away from her or our son.

Joy fills my body when the door to the hospital room bursts open, and Byron Montgomery walks towards me. For some reason he looks angry, and I hope he didn't do anything to upset Aria.

"Ezra, you and I are going to go for a walk." Byron growls.

What is this about? The last time Byron took me on a walk was he caught me and Aria having sex during her senior year of high school. Did I do something wrong? I seriously hope not, because I don't feel like getting punched in the face.

"Byron, what's wrong?" I ask him gently.

"What's wrong? Are you kidding me! I just found out that my baby girl got kidnapped, and was raped almost everyday for five years! On top of that, Aria's husband who is an alcoholic, wants her and my grandson to move in with him!" Byron screams furiously.

My throat goes dry, and I avoid looking into Byron's eyes. Does he really not trust me with Aria? He knows I'd never do anything that might hurt her.

"Byron, Aria wants to move in with me. I'm going to take care of her, and make sure she heals." I tell my father-in-law softly.

"How are you going to take care of her when you can't even take care of yourself? Do you have any idea what Aria and that little boy have been through? They need a stable home, and you can't give that to them." Byron says as his voice begins to soften.

"I've made a lot of mistakes in the past, but I'm not an alcoholic. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of Aria and my son, and I don't appreciate you coming between me and my family." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

"Ezra..." He starts to say.

"In case you've forgotten, Aria is my wife, and Gregory is my son! You have no right to take them away from me!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

"In case you've forgotten, Aria is my daughter! It's my job to protect her, and I can't let her move in with you after what's happened." Byron says with a heavy sigh.

That's when I completely break down. He's right, I'm not capable of taking care of Aria, but that doesn't change the fact that I need her.

"Byron, please don't take them from me! I'll do anything! I'll check myself into a rehabilitation center, I'll give up alcohol entirely, I'll even stop writing so I can focus on taking care of Aria. I've already missed the first five years of my son's life, please don't make me miss anymore of it. I need him and Aria, probably even more than they need me." I say through my heavy sobs.

Byron lets out a breathy sigh, before he pulls me in for a long hug. I haven't seen my father since I was ten years-old, and at one point in my life Byron was like a father to me. That's why it hurts that he thinks so lowly of me.

"Ezra, I'm so sorry, but I have to do what's best for Aria." Byron mutters before breaking the hug and walking out of the waiting room.

**What did you think? Why is Aria feeling so guilty about everything? Who should she move in with; her parents or Ezra? Is Ezra capable of taking care of her and Gregory? Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**

**PS: If you feel sad after reading this chapter you should check out the one-shot I just posted called "Storms." Unlike this story, it's happy and fluffy Ezria! **


	14. Redemption

Aria's POV

I sit with Gregory on the couch in our hospital room and help him with his reading. The past forty-eight hours have been hectic for both of us, and I'm trying to maintain some sense of normality for my son's sake.

"And the ugly duckling turned into a beautiful swan. The end." Gregory says before slamming the children's book shut.

"That's my smart boy!" I exclaim as I kiss Gregory's forehead lovingly.

Gregory smiles before wrapping his little arms around me, and burying his face in the crook of my neck. I respond by stroking the five year-olds dark curls, and humming to him softly.

"Momma?" Gregory asks as he looks up at me with his big blue eyes.

"Yes sweetheart?" I ask him softly.

"I miss our room. When can we go back?" Gregory asks me curiously.

My son's question makes my jaw drop, and I stare at the little boy with a puzzled expression on my face. How could he want to go back to that prison? I'd slit my own wrists before going back to the place where I was held hostage for five and a half years.

"Gregory, we're never going back. I hate that stupid room so much, and I'd rather die than go back." I tell him truthfully.

"Mommy, that room was our home! Don't you remember?" Gregory asks as tears begin to well up in his little eyes.

"No Gregory, that room wasn't our home." I say as I begin to shake my head vigorously.

"But Mommy, I've never lived anywhere else before. If our room wasn't my home, where is?" Gregory asks me softly.

I let out a breathy sigh as I stare at the confused little boy siting on my lap. How do I explain this to him?

"Gregory, home doesn't always have to be a place. Home is the warm feeling that you get when you're with the people you love. I'm you're home Gregory, and you're mine." I say as tears begin to form in my eyes.

"Is Daddy your home too?" Gregory asks me curiously.

This question doesn't make my jaw drop, it makes my heart sink in my chest. Three days ago I would have said that Ezra is my home in a heartbeat, but now I'm not so sure.

Before yesterday, I hadn't seen Ezra in five and a half years. I didn't think people were capable of changing, but I guess I was wrong. The Ezra I knew wouldn't let alcohol ruin his life, and he certainly wouldn't keep his problems from me. If he kept his drinking habits from me, what other secrets is he hiding? The thought alone causes a shiver to go down my spine.

But even if he an out of control alcoholic, he's still my Ezra.

Ezra, who I walked down the aisle with.

Ezra, who fathered my child.

Ezra, who I've thought about everyday for the past five years.

If it weren't for Gregory, I'd give Ezra the benefit of the doubt and move in with him in a heart beat. But that isn't the case. I have a confused five year-old, who needs a stable place to live while he recovers. I don't think moving in with a recovering alcoholic would be the best parenting move in this situation.

"I don't know, I haven't decided yet." I tell Gregory softly.

At that moment, I hear a steady knocking on our door. It's probably another doctor, or maybe my therapist.

"Come in." I call out to the person.

The door creaks open, and a startled gasp escapes from my lips when I see a very distraught looking Ezra standing in the doorway. He's holding a bouquet of roses, a grocery bag, and a bottle of liquor. How dare he bring that into this room!

"Daddy!" Gregory exclaims as he sprints over to Ezra.

Ezra puts down all of his grocery supplies, and picks up our little boy.

"Hey little man! I brought you a surprise." Ezra says as a smile forms on his face.

"Gregory, I want you go to the bathroom and read your book." I tell my son seriously.

"But Mommy, Daddy just got here! He brought me a surprise, and surprise means present!" Gregory tells me.

"Gregory, go to the bathroom now! Don't come back until I come and get you." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

"Daddy, tell her I don't have to go." Gregory says as he stares up at Ezra with a sulky look on his face.

"He isn't your mother Gregory! If you're not gone in ten seconds, I'm putting you on time-out." I tell my son seriously.

A look of fear washes over Gregory's face, and he jumps out of Ezra's arms before sprinting to the bathroom, and shutting the door behind him.

"Aria..." Ezra starts to say.

"Dammit Ezra! Why did you have to ruin everything? For the past five years I've been dreaming about seeing you again, and the first thing I hear from my mom and dad is that you're drinking problem has gotten out of control! On top of that, you have the audacity to bring a bottle of alcohol in here!" I scream at him.

"Honey..." Ezra starts to say.

"Don't you "honey" me Ezra! Why didn't you tell me about this directly, before I got all excited about moving in with you!" I ask as tears of anger and frustration begin to form in my eyes.

"What was I suppose to say? Hey Aria, it's nice to see you for the first time in five years. By the way, I drink way to much, and I'm an emotional mess! Welcome home darling!" Ezra says as he begins to raise his voice.

I stare at Ezra shocked. I can't believe he's being this blunt with me.

"I didn't tell you because I was ashamed. But just know that the past five years have been hell for me before you start judging me." Ezra says as he avoids looking into my eyes.

"The past five years have been hell for you? How do you think they've been for me! That son of a bitch kidnapped me, and he raped me every night after our son fell asleep. I had no idea if I'd ever get out of that prison, or if I'd ever see you again." I say furiously.

To my surprise, Ezra breaks down completely. He's crying so hard, that I don't think he'll ever be able to stop. I immediately feel guilty about yelling at him, and I begin to walk towards him slowly.

"Ezra, I'm sorry. You didn't need to hear that." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Do you have any idea how sorry I am? I'm so sorry that I wasn't there to protect you that day at the park, and I'm so sorry that you had to raise Gregory alone. Most importantly, I'm sorry that I'm such an idiot. My drinking is coming between us, and I absolutely hate it!" Ezra says through his tears.

"Can you just tell me why you did it? Why did you let yourself get so out of control?" I ask him gently.

"Because I had nothing to live for anymore Aria! Do you know what the police told me the day you went missing? That they found your panties in the middle of the park, and that some pervert probably raped and murdered you on the spot. I thought I lost you, the other half of me." Ezra says as he begins to sob ever harder, if that's humanly possible.

"Ezra, I am so sorry you had to go through that. I love you so much, and if I thought you were dead, I'd probably become an alcoholic too." I say before wrapping my arms around Ezra and sobbing into his chest.

"I would always think about some man hurting you in the worst way possible, and then killing you violently. I could never sleep because of the images I'd get in my head, so I turned to alcohol." Ezra says with a sniffle.

"Oh Ezra..." I start to say.

"Look, I didn't tell you these things so you could throw a pity party for me. I told them to you because you have the right to know why I did what I did. But I want make one thing very clear, I'm done drinking. I need to rebuild myself, so that I can be a good husband to you and good father to Gregory." Ezra says as he wipes away the tears that are streaming down his face.

"Ezra, you're the best husband any woman could ever ask for. Gregory already loves you, and we can't wait to move in with you the second we get released from the hospital." I say as I stare into Ezra's beautiful blue eyes.

"Aria, you don't have to move in with me. You need to do what's best for you and Gregory, and I don't want my problems to blind-side you." Ezra tells me seriously.

"You're what's best for us Ezra. Gregory needs his daddy, and I need my soul-mate. I know neither one us is at our best right now, but we're going to carry each other up the mountain." I tell my husband.

"But your parents..." Ezra starts to say.

"Have my best interests at heart, but that doesn't mean they know what's best for me. I'm a grown woman, and I can make my own decisions Ezra." I say to him.

"God, I love you so much Aria. I promise I'm going to take good care of you and Gregory, and we'll get through this as a family." Ezra says before pulling a strand of my hair behind my ear.

I respond by leaning in, and kissing Ezra on the lips. It isn't a sexual or rough kiss, but rather a soft and loving one.

"Mommy, can I come out now? This bathroom smells funny!" I hear Gregory shout.

Ezra and I both laugh and I decide that it's time for Gregory to come back.

"Come out here honey, Daddy and I miss you." I exclaim.

Gregory responds by sprinting out of the bathroom and running over to me and Ezra.

"Where is my surprise?" Gregory asks Ezra curiously.

"Well, for your mother I got a bouquet of roses and her favorite chocolates. For you, I got a teddy bear and a brand new book for you to read." Ezra says as he hands Gregory the plastic bag.

"Thanks Daddy! I've always wanted a stuffed animal!" Gregory says as he takes the bear out of the bag and hugs it happily.

"He's never had a stuffed animal?" Ezra asks as a look of sadness washes over his face.

"No, I always asked Nick to buy one for him, but he told me they were a waste of money." I say with a heavy sigh.

"Well, he has one now." Ezra says as he rests a hand on my shoulder.

"Daddy, what's this?" Gregory asks as he picks up the bottle of alcohol.

"Martinelli's Apple Cider, my new beverage of choice." Ezra says as he shoots me one of his charming boyish smiles.

It was apple cider, not alcohol! I begin to laugh hysterically, and Ezra starts to laugh along with me.

"What's so funny?" Gregory asks with a puzzled expression on his face.

"Nothing baby, nothing at all." I say with a warm smile.

Ezra's POV

I sit next to Aria on the couch, and we listen to Gregory read his new book. He's only five years-old, and he's reading at a third grade level. I'm so proud of my son, and of Aria for doing such an amazing job with him.

"The end." Gregory says as he shuts the children's book.

"Gregory, I'm very impressed! I can't believe you're such a good reader at only five years of age!" I exclaim.

"Thanks Daddy." Gregory says as his little face lights up.

"Gregory is also quite the little story-teller." Aria says with a proud smile.

"I don't doubt that. Gregory is our child, so he must have inherited our creativity." I say with a chuckle.

"Daddy, do you think I can be a writer when I grow up?" Gregory asks me curiously.

"Buddy, you can do whatever you set your mind to. I never want you to forget that." I tell my son seriously.

"I can do anything?" Gregory asks as his eyes grow wide with shock.

I nod, before setting Gregory on my lap and pulling him in for a long hug. He hugs me back, and if can't help but think that this is one of the best moments of my life.

Unfortunately, the moment ends when I hear a knock at the door. Who could that be?

"Ezra, can you get that? It's probably my mom and dad, and we should tell them the news as soon as possible." Aria tells me seriously.

I nod before springing to my feet, and opening the door that leads into the room. A startled gasp escapes from my lips when I see my mother standing in the doorway, with tears streaming down her face.

The last thing I need is her coming into my life, and complicating things for me and Aria. My wife doesn't need this stress in her life, so I step outside of the room and close the door behind me.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I ask my mother furiously.

"Aria, is she okay?" My mom asks, avoiding my question.

"Since when do you care about Aria?" I ask as I cross my arms over my chest.

"Since I found out that her and my grandson were held hostage for five years! That jerk didn't hurt the little boy, did he?" My mom asks with terror in her eyes.

"No, Aria was the only one who got hurt physically. Congratulations mother, you got your wish." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

"Ezra, I know Aria and I have had our differences in the past, but I'd never wish for something like this to happen to her." My mom says through her tears.

"Whatever." I mutter angrily.

"I know she's in a traumatic state, but is there any way I can see her?" My mom asks me softly.

She wants to see Aria? Absolutely not! I'm not going to let my mother march in here and make my wife feel even worse than she already does.

"No, you aren't going to see Aria. Not now and not ever." I say with sternness in my voice.

"Ezra..." My mom says before she starts to cry even harder if that's humanly possible.

"Get the hell away from this hospital. If you're not gone by the time I count to thirty, I'm calling the cops." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

My mom lets out a breathy sigh before sprinting towards the elevator, leaving me alone in the waiting room. I take a minute to compose myself before walking into Aria and Gregory's hospital room.

"Who was it Ezra?" Aria asks me curiously.

"No one, no one at all." I say through my gritted teeth.

**What did you think? Is Aria making the right decision by moving in with Ezra? How will he overcome his drinking problem? What about Dianne? Does she really feel sorry about what happened to Aria, or does she have motives for wanting to see her? Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter :)**

**A quick side note, please always tell someone if you're feeling depressed or suicidal! Yesterday a boy who I've been in school with since kindergarten took his own life, and everyone was shocked! He was such a nice and seemingly happy kid, and no one can believe he did this. I'm not telling you this to upset you, but rather to make you aware of a very serious issue in our society. No one understands how real and permanent death is until they've lost someone, and suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I understand that life can be difficult, and just this year I've lost my mother and my good friend. No matter how horrible a problem is or how upset you are, things will always get better. All of you have so much to live for, and you only get one life so please don't throw it away! That being said, if you have a friend who is seriously depressed, tell an adult, because they need professional help to recover. Again, I'm not trying to upset anybody! I'm sure my friend is in heaven, and him and his family will be okay eventually. Life is beautiful, so cherish every minute of it.**

**-Erin**


	15. Belonging

Aria's POV

A soft sigh escapes from my lips when my hazel eyes flutter open. I was tossing and turning all night, and morning has finally arrived. Today I'll have to tell my mom and dad that I'm moving in with my husband, instead of them. Even though my mom and dad will love me unconditionally, I'm worried about how they'll take the news.

A smile forms on my face when I hear Gregory laughing in his sleep. It's amazing how much he resembles Ezra, despite how short of a time they've known each other. Whenever Ezra is around, Gregory is smiling and laughing, and it warms my heart to see that my husband and son are developing a close relationship.

Yesterday was like a dream come true. I spent the entire evening reading and reminiscing with my two favorite boys, Gregory and Ezra. I feel like we're becoming a real family, but part of me keeps screaming that it's to good to be true. I don't deserve Gregory or Ezra, and I certainly don't deserve to be happy after what happened to Gregory and my unborn child.

A single tear rolls down my cheek, but I quickly wipe it away. Gregory is going to wake up any minute, and he can't see me cry. I have to be strong for the little boy who is sleeping next to me.

"I love you so much Gregory." I whisper before bending down to kiss his forehead.

At the sound of his name, Gregory's beautiful blue eyes flutter open, and he immediately wraps his little arms around me.

"Did you sleep well sweetheart?" I ask the five year-old softly.

"Yes Momma, I had the best dream in the whole-wide world!" Gregory exclaims.

"And what would that be?" I ask with a small laugh.

"I was with you and Daddy at the beach, and I was holding my new baby sister." Gregory says with a twinkle in his eyes.

My son's words cause my heart to sink in my chest. He doesn't know that I lost the baby, and I didn't tell Ezra or my parents about the pregnancy. If they knew the truth, my family might realize that I'm a horrible person, and send me back to Nick. Lately I'm starting to feel like we deserve each other.

"Mommy, what are you going to name the baby?" Gregory asks me suddenly.

"Gregory honey, I'm not going to have a baby after all." I say as I try to hold back tears.

A look of disappointment washes over Gregory's face, and I feel even worse than I did before.

"Why aren't you going to have the baby? Do you not want her anymore?" Gregory asks me softly.

Isn't it funny how the world works? While I was pregnant I wanted nothing to do with the baby, and now that the he or she is gone I'd give anything to hold my unborn child at least once.

"Gregory, I do want the baby. I want to be a Mommy again, and I'd love for you to have a little brother or sister to play with. Unfortunately, we don't always get what we want." I say as tears begin to stream down my face.

"I don't understand..." Gregory starts to say.

"Gregory, the baby is up in heaven with God." I say before my son can finish his sentence.

A look of absolute shock washes over my son's face, and I don't know whether he's going to cry or scream.

"Mommy, you have to die before you can go to heaven." Gregory says in a barely audible whisper.

"I know." I say with a nod.

"But how do die before you got to live?" Gregory asks with confusion in his voice.

That's when I completely break-down. I begin to sob hysterically, and hold Gregory so close to me that I doubt he can breathe. A better question is how do you live, when you're already dead inside?

Gregory's POV

I learned two things today.

1. My little sister is in heaven with God.

2. Mommy can still be gone even when we're not in the room.

Just like in our room when Mommy was gone, I shake her over and over again, but she doesn't open her eyes.

"Mommy, please don't be gone. I'll miss you." I tell her softly.

Mommy doesn't open her eyes. I sigh before getting back under the white covers, and holding the teddy bear that Daddy bought for me. My bear has brown fur that looks like sand, and he smells delicious. I want to eat him, but then I wouldn't have a bear to play with. Maybe I can name him crunchy.

The door to our new room begins to open, and I quickly hide under the covers. People are always coming in and out of this room to talk to Mommy, or to give me shots that hurt a lot. When I get shots, Mommy always holds my hand, and after I get a lollipop. If I scream a lot I get two lollipops. My favorite color lollipops are purple and red.

"Aria baby, are you awake?" I hear a familiar voice ask.

I peek at the person from underneath the covers, and I realize it's my Grandma and Grandpa. They're always here to give me and Mommy hugs and kisses, and sometimes Grandma gives me yummy gummy-bears. I like Grandma and Grandpa, but I wish they didn't cry so much. Why do people around here always cry? It makes me sad.

"Hey Gregory! How are you doing today buddy?" Grandpa asks as he walks over to me and gives me a big hug.

"I'm dandy." I say with a smile.

For some reason Grandma and Grandpa start to laugh. Do they think using good vocabulary is funny? Mommy says using good vocabulary is an intelligent thing to do.

"It looks like Aria decided to sleep in today." Grandma says as she gestures towards Mommy.

"Mommy isn't asleep." I tell my Grandma.

"Really? Then why are her eyes closed?" Grandpa asks with a chuckle.

"Because she's gone today." I tell Grandma and Grandpa seriously.

They stop laughing, and stare at each other with concerned expressions on their faces.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Grandma asks me softly.

"Mommy is sad that my little sister went to heaven with God, and when I asked her about it she decided to be gone. When Mommy is gone, she lays in bed and doesn't move, not even a little." I say as I stare at my mommy.

"You had a little sister?" Grandma asks me as tears begin to stream down her face.

"Yes, but she never left Mommy's tummy. It's okay though, because heaven is a very special place. Mommy is just sad because now I don't have a sister to play with." I say with a heavy sigh.

Grandma walks over to Mommy, and begins to stroke her hair softly.

"Aria, I am so sorry about your baby. Why don't you open your eyes so we can talk about it, okay honey?" Grandma says through her tears.

Mommy won't open her eyes because she's gone! How does Grandma not know this? I thought grown-ups were suppose to know more than children.

"Mommy's gone, so she's not going to open her eyes." I tell Grandma.

"Gregory, your mother isn't gone. She's laying right here!" Grandpa exclaims.

"Yeah, but she's gone." I say with an eye roll.

"Aria, this isn't funny. I'm starting to get worried." Grandpa says as he gives Mommy a little nudge.

Mommy grumbles a little, but she doesn't open her eyes. Why won't Grandma and Grandpa listen to me? Maybe they're being stubborn, and need to be put on time-out.

"Gregory, how long is Mommy usually gone for? An hour or two?" Grandma asks me curiously.

During a math lesson learned that there are twenty-four hours in a day. Usually Mommy is gone for two days, and twenty-four plus twenty-four is forty-eight. Grandma is forty-six hours off, so she probably doesn't do math everyday like I do.

"Mommy is usually gone for forty-eight hours. Once after Nick pulled her hair, she was gone for seventy-two hours." I say with a shutter.

"Oh Byron..." Grandma says before she begins to cry really hard.

"Sh-sh, don't cry Ella." Grandpa says as he wraps his arms around Grandma.

"How can I not cry? She's so hurt Byron!" Grandma says through her heavy sobs.

Grandpa sighs, and tears begin to pour out of his eyes. Maybe they're crying because they miss Mommy just like I do.

"It's like she's in some kind of dissociative state or something." Grandpa says as he rubs Mommy's back gently.

Dissociative state? What is that? Grandpa has excellent vocabulary, and I'm very impressed.

For the second time today, the door to our room begins to open. I look up and smile when I see my daddy walking towards me. I like Daddy, because he isn't anything like Nick. He never yells at me, and he never hurts Mommy. Daddy also says he loves me, and that's a very nice thing to tell someone.

"Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!" I shout as I run over to him.

"Hey there buddy. How's my little man doing today?" Daddy asks as he lifts me up with his strong arms.

"I'm swell." I say, hoping Daddy will appreciate my vocabulary.

Daddy laughs a little, before carrying me over to Grandpa and Grandma, who are looking at Mommy and crying.

"Why the tears?" Daddy asks as with a concerned look on his face.

"It's Aria! She refuses to speak or move, and Gregory says she acts like this for days at a time. My poor baby girl." Grandma says with a sniffle.

Daddy puts me down, and takes a seat next to Mommy. He gently wraps his arms around her, and holds Mommy like she's a little baby.

"Aria love, can you please open your eyes for me?" Daddy whispers to her.

Mommy doesn't open her eyes, and a sad look washes over Daddy's face. Why doesn't anyone understand that she's gone?

"Darling, we're all here for you, and everyone loves you so much. Please open your eyes and tell me what's wrong so I can fix it." Daddy begs.

Mommy stays gone, obviously!

That's when Daddy does the weirdest thing! He starts to sing! I don't know why he's singing, because every time he does, Mommy cries. She probably cries because Daddy is such an awful singer, and he must hurt her ears almost as much as he hurts mine. If Daddy wants her to stop being gone, he should stop singing. I want to tell Daddy to stop, but that would be rude.

"Happiness feels a lot like sorrow  
Let it be, you can't make it come or go  
But you are gone, not for good but for now  
And gone for now feels a lot like gone for good." Daddy sings to Mommy.

Something crazy happens! Mommy opens her eyes! She looks at Daddy, and then at me, and then back at Daddy.

"Ezra..." Mommy starts to say.

"Sh-sh, you don't have to say anything baby girl. Just let me hold you for a minute." Daddy says as tears begin to pour out of his eyes.

"I lost my baby Ezra. I lost her and it's all my fault." Mommy says as she begins to cry as hard as she did when Nick used to hit her.

Daddy looks confused and worried at the same time, but he keeps Mommy close to him.

"It's okay Aria, you're going to be okay. None of this mess is your fault, understand?" Daddy asks her softly.

"But Ezra..." She starts to say.

"But nothing Aria! You have such a kind heart, and you don't deserve any of this." Daddy says with a heavy sigh.

Mommy continues to cry, but she looks a lot calmer than she did before. I don't understand! How come Daddy can make Mommy stop being gone, but I can't? Why is Mommy looking at him like that, and why hasn't she ever looked at me like she's looking at him.

"Ezra, I'm so sorry about how I treated you the other day. I was being protective of my daughter when I didn't need to be. You're a great man, and I know you'd never do anything to hurt Aria. You two have my blessing." Grandpa says with a slight smile.

"Mine too, it's so clear that you two belong with each other." Grandma says as she stares at my Mommy and Daddy lovingly.

Daddy belongs with Mommy? I thought I belonged with Mommy, but she obviously loves Daddy more. If I don't belong with Mommy or in my room, where do I belong?

**What did you think? Aria is still hurting, so how will she overcome everything? What about Gregory? He's obviously struggling too. We'll see some familiar faces in the next chapter, any guesses on who? ****Thank you so much for reading and for your continues support! Please review and tell me what you thought, and how I can make the story better :) **


	16. Tension

Aria's POV

I lay in my hospital bed while Ezra rubs my back gently. He hasn't left my side since he found out about the baby I lost, and he's treating me like delicate glass that could shatter in an instant. Little does he know, I shattered years ago, and I don't think anyone can fix me.

"Aria, can we talk?" Ezra asks me softly.

I look across the room at Gregory, who is playing with the blocks that Ezra bought for him yesterday. He looks preoccupied, so I doubt he's listening to what we're saying. Nevertheless, I don't want to have a heart to heart with Ezra when our son is so close to us.

"There's nothing to talk about." I say as I avoid looking into his piercing blue eyes.

"Yes there is Aria! I want to know why you didn't tell me about the baby sooner." Ezra tells me seriously.

"Because I didn't want you to realize that I'm a terrible mother." I say as tears begin to stream down my face.

"Are you crazy? You're such an amazing mother to Gregory that it's inspiring! He spent the first five years of his life locked up, but you somehow managed to protect him from that monster and give him a wonderful life. Do you have any idea how much that little boy loves you Aria? You were his whole world for five years!" Ezra exclaims.

"Gregory should hate me, and so should you! I did a horrible job of protecting our baby, because I let Nick hurt him." I say as my voice crack in despair.

"What are you talking about?" Ezra asks as worry washes over his face.

Should I tell him? I told myself I wasn't going to tell anyone the truth about that happened to Gregory when he was a toddler. Ezra will hate me, and I don't think I can deal with that.

"Nothing, I'm just tired today." I mutter before closing my hazel eyes.

"Aria..." Ezra starts to say.

"Ezra, please just stop. I know you want to help me, but you have no idea what I've been through. Nothing you say or do will fix anything, so stop trying to make sense of things." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

A look of hurt washes over Ezra's face, and I immediately feel horrible for yelling at him. My husband has been nothing but kind and loving since the police found me, so why am I so angry at him? God, what is wrong with me?

"Ezra, I'm sorry." I say as tears begin to pour out of my eyes.

"Hey, don't cry. You're right, I can't fix anything that happened in the past. All I can do is be here for you and Gregory today." Ezra says as he begins to stroke my dark hair.

I respond by cuddling closer to Ezra, and resting my head on the crook of his neck. Ezra wears different cologne than he did five years ago, and I'm still not used to it. I miss his scent of cinnamon, and the subtle change only serves to remind me that both of us are completely different people than we were five years ago. I don't know this Ezra, and he doesn't know this Aria.

"Why did you stop wearing your old cologne?" I ask Ezra suddenly.

"I ran out, and I didn't see the point in ordering more since you weren't around to enjoy it. I bought this cologne at the shopping center a few miles outside Hollis. Do you not like it?" Ezra asks me softly.

I don't know whether I like the smell or not. All I know is that I miss the cinnamon.

"It's just different." I say after thinking about it for a minute.

"Well, I'll order the cologne I used to wear tonight. I know how much you love the smell of cinnamon." Ezra says before planting a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Ezra, what else about you is different?" I ask in a barely audible whisper.

"Aria, I'm starting to think this is bigger than me changing my cologne." Ezra says with a sigh.

"It's just weird, you know? I love you so much, but I feel like both of us are completely different people now." I say as I stare into his beautiful blue eyes.

"A lot about me has changed, but I'm still your Ezra. I'm still madly in love with you, and I still can't cook to save my life." Ezra says with a goofy smile.

A small smile forms on my face, but I'm still anxious.

"Do you feel like you've changed a lot?" Ezra asks me curiously.

That's an understatement! I nod my head slowly, and Ezra responds by pulling me closer to him.

"Tell me about yourself." Ezra says as he stares into my hazel eyes.

"Huh?" I ask with confusion in my voice.

"You say you've changed a lot, I'd like to know more about the new Aria." Ezra tells me.

"I'm not so sure you're going to like her." I say as my voice softens.

"Of course I'll like her!" Ezra exclaims.

"How do you know?" I ask with a hint of insecurity in my voice.

"Because even though you've changed, you're still Aria. I love Aria, and I always will." Ezra says with a twinkle in his eyes.

Will he still love me if he finds out about what happened to Gregory? I doubt it.

"Please, tell me about yourself." Ezra begs.

"I don't know what to say." I tell him with a blush.

"Just talk. I love the sound of your voice." He says with a slight smile.

"Well, unlike you my cooking has really improved. Since I didn't have access to any pizza parlors or Chinese take-out restaurants, I had to make meals for me and Gregory. To be honest, sometimes I actually enjoy it." I ramble.

To my surprise, Ezra begins to laugh hysterically. What's so funny?

"I never thought I'd hear you say that you enjoy cooking." Ezra says through his laughter.

"It helped pass time." I say with a shrug.

"You'll have to make me dinner at least once a week from now on. What else about you has changed?" Ezra asks me.

"One night I had the flu and I couldn't sleep, so I turned on the TV. Chinatown was on, and I actually got through the entire movie." I say as I think back to that night.

"See! I told you it would happen one day! What did you think of the ending?" Ezra asks me curiously.

"I thought it was just as stupid as the beginning and middle." I say with an eye roll.

"Somethings never change." Ezra says as he shakes his head slowly.

"Sometimes after Gregory falls asleep I turn the lights on, because the dark scares me." I say with a shutter.

A sad look washes over Ezra's face, and I can tell I upset him.

"I don't blame you, but remember that you have nothing to be scared of anymore. I'm here, and I'm always going to protect you." Ezra says as he holds me close to him.

"I know that Nick is in jail, but I still have nightmares. What if he finds away out, and comes after me and Gregory?" I blurt out nervously.

"Aria, that's never going to happen. Besides, I'd kill that man before I'd let him hurt you again." Ezra tells me seriously.

"I know you would." I say before giving Ezra a soft kiss on the lips.

At that moment, the sound of a shrill scream rings out in the hospital room. I look over at Gregory, who is laying on the floor and crying hysterically.

"Gregory, what's wrong?" I ask as I rush over to him.

"I was building a house, but it fell over." Gregory says as he gestures towards the pile of blocks scattered around the floor.

"Don't worry about it buddy, I can help you build a new house." Ezra says as he rests a hand on our son's shoulder.

"No, I don't want to play with my blocks anymore." Gregory says before crawling into my arms and burying his face in my chest.

I stroke the five year old's thick curls and let out a frustrated sigh. The smallest things are upsetting him, and I'm starting to get worried. My therapist told me that Gregory has a long healing process ahead of him, and it upsets me that Gregory is so hurt and confused. I knew that coming into a new world would be difficult for the boy, but I always thought if I gave him all the love I could things would work out for my baby. Now I'm not so sure. What if I'm a constant reminder of the horrible five-years he had to endure? Just like Ezra, Gregory would be better off without me.

Ezra's POV

I sit across from Aria, and watch as she tries to consul our sobbing five year-old. The little boy has been crying into Aria's chest non-stop for the past half an hour. Every once in a while, Aria bends down and whispers something into Gregory's ear. I don't know what she's telling the boy, but it seems to calm him down.

"I hate that he's so upset." Aria mutters as she stares into my blue eyes.

"I think he's ready to leave the hospital." I say with a heavy sigh.

"I want to go home!" Gregory says through his heavy sobs.

A slight smile forms on my face when I think about taking Gregory and Aria home with me. I spoke with my wife's doctor this morning, and he says I can check her and my son out by the end of the week. I'll have to drive them to therapy sessions everyday for God knows how long, but I'll sleep better at night knowing that they're under the same roof as me.

"Gregory, you and your mommy can leave the hospital at the end of this week. You can come home with me, and the three of us will have a big party to celebrate." I say as I rest my hand on the boy's shoulder.

To my dismay Gregory slaps my hand away from him, and begins to cry even harder if that's humanly possible.

"I don't want to leave the hospital with you! My home is with Mommy!" Gregory screams at the top of his lungs.

"Gregory! Say you're sorry right now!" Aria says as she begins to raise her voice.

"It's fine Aria, we're all just tired." I say as I try to keep the tears from pouring out of my eyes.

Why doesn't Gregory want to move in with me? I've done everything I could to make myself approachable to the little boy, because all I want is a relationship with my son. I know he'll always have a special relationship with Aria since she was the one who cared for him during the first five years of his life, but I was hoping he'd eventually learn to love me too. Maybe I did something wrong, or maybe I'm just a horrible father.

"Ezra, he doesn't mean it. You've been nothing but good to us, and I'm so excited to move in with you!" Aria tells me seriously.

"No we're not! I want to back to the room!" Gregory says through his heavy sobs.

Does he seriously want to go back to that prison? How could Gregory chose that horrendous place over the loving home I want to give him?

"I'm going to leave you two alone for a few minutes. I don't want to intrude anymore…" I start to say.

"Ezra no! You're not intruding…." Aria starts to say.

"It's fine Aria, I need to grab dinner anyways." I say as I begin to walk towards the door.

"Please don't leave!" I hear Aria call out after me.

But it's to late, I'm already gone.

Line Break

I pull up to the police station in the center of Rosewood, and get out of my car without an ounce of hesitation. I need answers, and this is the only place I can get them. I walk through the double doors of the station, and I get stopped by a police officer.

"Can I help you sir?" The officer asks me curiously.

"Only if you can tell me where they're keeping a man named Nicholas Dias." I say through my gritted teeth.

"I'm afraid I can't. His lawyer wants that information to stay confidential until Mr. Dias' trial is set." The officer tells me apologetically.

"Do you know what I want? I want to chop that man's balls off and then shoot him in the head." I say as I begin to raise my voice.

"Are you the husband?" The man asks as his voice softens.

"Yes, so you have an obligation to tell me where they're keeping the man who kidnapped and raped my wife!" I scream hysterically.

"Sir, I am so sorry that this happened, but I can't tell you anything." He tells me gently.

That's all it takes for me to snap.

"Where the hell is he!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

All of the officers in the station look over at me, but I'm to livid to care.

"Sir, if you don't stop talking I'll have to arrest you for disrespectful conduct…" The man starts to say.

Before he can finish his sentence, I punch the officer square in the face. The man lets out an audible moan, and several police men sprint over to me.

"Sir, put your hands up. You're under arrest for assaulting a cop." An officer says as he pulls out a pair of handcuffs.

"Oh, so now you want to talk about assault? Where were you incompetent bastards when that man was assaulting my defenseless wife? If I could, I'd arrest all of you for being total idiots!" I shout.

An officer pushes me to the ground, and handcuffs me. Damn it! Byron is never going to let Aria move in with me after he hears about this, especially since this is the second time I've been arrested this year!

"Stop, please just let him go." I hear a familiar voice say.

I turn around and gasp when I see Mike Montgomery standing in the doorway. I haven't seen him in five years, and he looks so much older than I remember him being. After Aria went missing, Mike moved back to Iceland and stopped communicating with everyone back in Rosewood.

"And who are you?" The officer who handcuffed me asks Mike curiously.

"I'm this man's brother-in-law. He's had a hard couple of days, so I'd really appreciate it if you gentlemen would let this incident slide." Mike says with firmness in his voice.

"Your brother-in-law just punched a cop in the face!" The man exclaims.

"I get that he's a pain in the ass, but Ezra isn't a criminal." Mike tells the men.

"For the love of God, just let the poor man go!" The officer who I punched tells his counterparts.

The man holding me sighs, before unlocking my handcuffs.

"We'll let you off with a warning this time Mr. Fitz." The man grumbles.

"Thank you officer." Mike says as he grabs me by the arm and drags me out of the police station.

I want to go back in there and punch another officer, but then I'd get arrested again. The food in prison is probably terrible, and Aria always told me that I look horrible in orange.

"Thanks for bailing me out." I tell Mike as we stand in the parking lot.

"Don't mention it buddy." Mike tells me softly.

An awkward silence passes between us, and neither one of us knows what to say.

"Why are you here?" I ask Mike suddenly.

"For the same reason you are. I want to see that man, and kill him for hurting my little sister." Mike says through his gritted teeth.

"Aria is two years older than you." I remind my brother-in-law.

"I meant physically." Mike says with a slight smile.

We both start to laugh hysterically, because Aria's size has always been something we like to joke about.

"You should go to the hospital. I'm sure Aria wants to see you." I tell Mike after the laughter dies down.

"I was just there. I tried to visit her, but the doctors told me it wasn't a good time. They said something about the little boy throwing tantrums." Mike says with a heavy sigh.

I don't respond. Instead I look around the parking lot, and try to focus on anything that isn't Mike.

"Why aren't you at the hospital with them? Aria loves you, and I'm sure she needs you now." Mike says softly.

"I've been there all day. I think both her and Gregory need a break." I say with a sad smile.

"Ezra..." Mike starts to say.

"It's been great seeing you again Mike, but I have some house work I have to do. Aria is coming home with me at the end of the week, and I want to make the house look nice for her." I say as I start to walk away.

"Ezra, do you need any help?" Mike calls out after me.

"No, I should be fine." I say without looking back.

And I will be fine, after I drive to the nearest bar and drink all the alcohol in sight.

**What did you think of this chapter, especially the Ezria scene at the beginning? What about Gregory? Why is he throwing tantrums, and distancing himself from Ezra? Do you think Aria or one of the other Montgomerys will find out about Ezra's drinking? Did you like seeing this version of him? Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review and tell me what you thought, so I can continue to improve this story. **


	17. The Talk

Aria's POV

I haven't spoken to Gregory since Ezra stormed out of the hospital. Even though I'm not angry with my son, I'm frustrated that everything is so difficult. What did Ezra do to upset Gregory so much? As far as I can tell, Ezra has been amazing with the boy, and Gregory seemed to like him up until this afternoon.

I stare at Gregory, who is drawing a picture on the couch in our hospital room. I keep trying to remind myself that Gregory is having a difficult time, probably even more than I am. I slowly make my way over the little boy, and wrap an arm over his shoulder.

"What are you working on honey?" I ask him softly.

"A present for you." Gregory says before taking the paper and shielding it from my vision.

"Well, I'm honored. I love when you draw pictures for me." I tell the boy truthfully.

"Really?" Gregory asks as his face lights up with excitement.

"Yes really! Haven't I always told you that?" I ask as I gently lift Gregory off the couch and set him on my lap.

"Yes, but I thought maybe things would be different now." Gregory says as tears begin to stream down his face.

"Gregory, nothing is different. I still love you, more than anything in the entire world." I say before pulling the boy in for a long hug.

"So you're not mad at me?" Gregory asks with a sniffle.

"No, I could never be mad you baby." I tell the boy truthfully.

"But I made Daddy leave! You love him, and I made him leave. You probably hate me." Gregory says before he bursts into tears.

I sigh before pulling Gregory even closer to me, and breathing in his familiar scent. I don't think I've held him like this all day, and I know how difficult it is to feel lonely on days when you need a hug.

"Gregory, there is nothing you could say or do that would ever make me hate you." I say as I stroke the boy's thick curls.

Gregory responds by taking the unfinished picture, and handing it to me. I smile when I realize that Gregory drew a heart, with me inside of it.

"This is beautiful sweetheart." I say before planting a soft kiss on his forehead.

"I drew it so you'd know that you'll always be in my heart, even if I'm not in yours." Gregory says through his tears.

Of course Gregory is in my heart! How does he not know that? I've spent everyday of the past five years trying to show Gregory that I love him, and that I'd do anything for him!

"Why on Earth would you think that Gregory? Do you have any idea how much I love you? Hell, I'd die if it meant keeping you safe." I with a mix of anger and confusion in my voice.

"But you have Daddy now! He's bigger and stronger than I am, and he can keep you safe from evil monsters like Nick! He can even make you stop being gone." Gregory says as he begins to cry even harder if that's humanly possible.

Is this why Gregory is so upset? Does he thinks that Ezra is replacing him?

"Gregory Fitz, having your father in the picture doesn't make me love you any less. Not even close. Are you forgetting that you saved my life when you escaped from the room, and called the police? You saved my life five years ago, on the day you were born. If it hadn't been for you Gregory, I probably would have given up on life entirely. I know I've been saying that the past five years have been difficult, but now I know that I was wrong. The past five years have been the most magical years of my life, because I got to experience them with you. You're my entire world, and my brave superhero Gregory." I say as I hold him so tightly that I doubt he can breathe.

"Really?" Gregory asks as he stares up at me with his beautiful blue eyes.

"Yes really! If I'm angry at anyone, it's at myself for letting Nick hurt you. You're the most amazing person in the world, and you didn't deserve to spend the first five years of your life locked up. You deserved to be out in the real world, surrounded by all the people who love you." I say as tears begin to stream down my face.

"But Mommy, I was with you. You're the only person I care about being with." Gregory says as he rubs my back gently.

"But that's not true baby. You have grandparents, an uncle, three aunties, and a daddy who love you so very much. I know they weren't there before, but they're here for you now, and so am I. I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to make those first five years up to you." I tell the boy truthfully.

"I love you Mommy." Gregory says softly.

"I love you too Gregory, so much that you'll never fully understand how special you are to me." I say as kiss his forehead softly.

Gregory responds by closing his eyes, and resting his head on my lap. I stare at the vulnerable five year-old in front of me, and I can literally feel my heart cracking in my chest. There is no doubt in my mind that Gregory needs special help to recover from this accident. Even though the hospital is providing both Gregory with the best therapists in the country, they cannot do anything to help Gregory if I'm not entirely honest.

Every time a doctor or therapist asks if Nick ever physically hurt Gregory, I say no immediately. I haven't told anyone about the time I walked in on Nick touching Gregory, because it hurts to much to think about that monster molesting my baby. Heck, I haven't even been honest with Gregory. After that night, I never asked Gregory if Nick had touched him before, or if he did it again. What If my son was hurting, and I did nothing to help him?

Gregory's POV

"Baby, I need you to wake up." I hear Mommy say as she shakes me gently.

Why is Mommy waking me up? It's time for my nap and I'm a sleepy boy today!

"Mommy, I'm going night-night." I say with a tired yawn.

"But the sun is up and the moon is down!" Mommy exclaims.

After I got out of the room, I learned that sometimes people sleep even though the sun is out. At first I was angry because sleeping when the sun is out is breaking a very important rule, but sometimes it's okay to break rules. I know this because sometimes Mommy says bad words to my doctors, even though saying bad words is breaking a rule. It's okay though, because Mommy only says bad words to keep the doctors from giving me more shots than they need to. I'm sleeping so I'll feel more alive when I decide it's time to wake up from my nap.

"Mommy, I want to sleep." I grumble.

"Gregory, I know you want to sleep! I want you to sleep too, but I need to talk to you about something important." Mommy tells me softly.

Mommy always says that the most important day of the year is my birthday. My birthday is always wonderful, so I'm sure that what Mommy wants to talk to me about is wonderful too.

"What is it?" I ask as my eyes shoot open.

That's when I realize that Mommy is crying. Tears are streaming down her face, and her eyes are red and puffy. Maybe things that are important aren't always wonderfully.

"Mommy, don't cry! It's breaks my heart!" I say as I wrap my arms around her neck.

"Please don't let your heart-break for me Gregory. I'm not worth it." Mommy says through her tears.

"Yes you are Mommy!" I exclaim.

"No. I'm not worth it because I let Nick hurt you, and I didn't do anything about it." Mommy says through her tears.

"Mommy..." I start to say.

"Gregory, when you were two years old I left you alone with Nick while I was in the bathroom. When I got back, I saw him t-touching your private parts. Do you remember him doing that to you?" Mommy asks me softly.

I don't remember very many things that happened when I was two. One of the earliest thing I remember was laying on the couch with Mommy, while she let me suck on her girl boobs. For some reason, delicious milk came out of Mommy's boobs, and for the longest time I thought she was a cow. When I was four I tried squeezing Mommy's boobs while she was napping to see if any milk would come out, but none did. Mommy woke up from her nap, and told me that it's not okay for me to touch her boobs. I don't know why, because once I saw Nick kissing them. Girls really confuse me sometimes.

"Gregory, you're not answering my question." Mommy says with a heavy sigh.

"I don't remember." I tell her.

"Are you sure?" Mommy asks as she watches me closely.

I think about it for a minute, before nodding my head slowly.

"Gregory, has Nick ever touched you in a way that made you feel scared or uncomfortable. If he has, I'd like you to tell me about it so we can talk to a doctor." Mommy tells me seriously.

I already told Mommy no! Why isn't she listening to me? Sometimes Mommy is stubborn, so she doesn't always listen to me. I don't know why though, because she always tells me I'm a smart boy.

"Nick never touched me. You didn't let him, remember Mommy?" I ask as I raise an eyebrow.

Mommy sighs, before nodding her head slowly. I can tell that something is bothering her, but she isn't telling me anything.

"Gregory, a lot of really scary things have happened to us over the past five years. I know your therapist is talking to you and asking you important questions, but I want you to know that I'm here too. I've known you for five and a half years, and the doctors have only known you for a few days. We've always been close, and I know it's probably easier for you to talk to me than it is for you to talk to them. If you're upset about anything, or of you have any questions about what happened while we were locked up, I want you to come to me. I want to make sure that this transition isn't any harder for you than it needs to be." Mommy says as she grabs my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

I do have a question for Mommy, but I'm worried that asking it will upset her. Ever since Nick took me to his room and I saw him bouncing on top of Mommy, I've had scary dreams. I don't know what Nick was doing, but I know Mommy looked so sad that it made me want to cry.

"Gregory, is there anything on your mind?" Mommy asks me softly.

Should I tell her? Yes! No! I wish I could play rock, paper, scissors with myself, that way I could decide.

"One time I saw Nick hurt you!" I blurt out suddenly.

Mommy stares at me with a confused expression on her face. Maybe she forgot about the time Nick bounced on top of her, so she doesn't know what I'm taking about.

"You saw Nick hurt me several times Gregory! I know how much it scared you when he did that, but I want you to know that Nick will never be able to hurt me again." Mommy says as she forces a smile.

"But once I saw him hurt you worse than he did the other times." I say as I avoid looking into Mommy's eyes.

"The night we escaped from our room? I'm so sorry you had to see that honey!" Mommy exclaims.

"No Mommy! The time I went with you to Nick's room." I mutter.

A startled gasp escapes from Mommy's lips, and she looks like she wants to cry. I don't know why I said anything, because I knew it would upset Mommy. Sometimes I don't feel like a smart boy.

"Gregory, you told me you didn't see anything." Mommy says as tears begin to form in her eyes

"I told a lie, and for a while I thought my nose was going to grow like Pinocchio's." I say with a shutter.

"Gregory, why would you lie to me about something like this?" Mommy asks me curiously.

"Because I saw how badly Nick was hurting you, and how scared you looked. I didn't say anything because I thought talking about it would make you feel worse." I say as I avoid looking into Mommy's eyes.

"Honey, that's incredibly sweet of you, but I wish you had come to me about this earlier." Mommy says with a heavy sigh.

Oh no! Did I make Mommy sad by not telling her the truth?

"Do you have any questions about what you saw?" Mommy asks as his voice softens.

I have a lot of questions about what happened that night! Asking them might upset Mommy, but I think she wants me to tell her anyways!

"Nick took your clothes off, and then he started bouncing on top of you. After a while he'd make a funny noise, and then he'd bounce on you some more! Why did he do those things, and why did it make you so sad?" I ask Mommy curiously.

Tears begins to stream down Mommy's face, but I can tell she's trying to hold them back. Now I wish I didn't ask my questions.

"I am so happy you asked me those things Gregory. The reason Nick took my clothes off was because he wanted to touch me in a very intimate way. I was crying because the things he was doing to me are things that you should only do with someone who you love very much, and I didn't love Nick. What Nick did to me that night was horrible, and no little boy should have to see what you saw." Mommy says as she holds me close to her.

I am so confused! If Mommy didn't love Nick, why did she let him do what he did? If Nick loves Mommy, why did he take her away from Daddy and lock her up in the room?

"I don't understand..." I start to say.

"I don't expect you to understand Gregory. I'm a grown woman, and I still don't understand." Mommy says with a sad smile.

Sometimes, it's easier not to understand horrible things. I don't want to ask Mommy anymore questions, so I close my sleepy eyes and rest my head on her chest. Mommy hums softly, as she ruffles my dark curls. It doesn't take long for me to fall asleep in her arms.

Line Break

I'm in the middle of my nap when I hear whispers coming from the other side of the hospital room. I open my eyes, and see my mommy and daddy cuddling on the couch. Mommy has tears in her eyes, but they're not sad tears. If fact, I think they might even be happy tears.

I look over at Daddy, and realize that he has tears in his eyes too. He holds Mommy in his strong arms, as he kisses her forehead repeatedly. All of the sudden, I feel guilty for yelling at Daddy yesterday. He's so nice to me, and I can tell he makes Mommy happy. I like people who are nice, and I like it when Mommy is happy, so I must like Daddy.

I slowly climb out of bed, before walking over to where Mommy and Daddy are sitting. Daddy stares into my blue eyes, and give me a nervous smile.

"Hey buddy." He tells me softly.

I respond by jumping onto the couch, and cuddling close to Daddy. He sets me on his lap, before kissing my forehead, just like he did with Mommy's.

"I'm sorry." I tell him softly.

"I'm sorry too." Daddy mutters before giving me another kiss.

"Why are you two crying?" I ask Mommy and Daddy.

"I just talked to our doctor, and he's letting us leave the hospital tomorrow morning." Mommy says with a teary smile.

"Are we going to live with you Daddy?" I ask him.

"Your mother and I decided to leave that decision up to you. If you want to move in with me, you're welcome to. If not, I'll rent a nearby apartment for you and Mommy." Daddy tells me softly.

"Can I still sleep in the same room as Mommy if we move in with you?" I ask Daddy curiously.

"Of course! We'll make sure you're comfortable Gregory." Mommy tells me seriously.

I can tell that Mommy and Daddy want to live together, and I think it would be fun to live with Daddy!

"I want to move in with you." I tell Daddy before wrapping my arms around him.

**What did you think? Are you happy that Aria talked to Gregory about Ezra and what happened to her while they were in the room? What do you think will happen after Aria moves in with Ezra? Thanks for reading and for your continued support! Leave a review and tell me what you liked or didn't like, so I can keep making this story better :) **


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